TREASURY

British Film Industry

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what financial assistance the UK Government have provided to the British film industry in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the writtenanswer I gave on 7 December 2005, Official Report, column 1323W to the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess).

Cancer

Mark Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) diagnosis and (b) mortality rate was for cancer in each of the last five years in Forest of Dean constituency.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 13 December 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what the (a) diagnosis and (b) mortality rate was for cancer in each of the last five years in the Forest of Dean constituency. I am replying in her absence. (36247)
	The most recent available information on registration of newly diagnosed cases (incidence) and mortality are for the years 2003 and 2004, respectively. As population estimates by age and sex are not available for parliamentary constituencies, age-standardised incidence and mortality rates (directly standardised to the European standard population) are given in the table below for all malignant cancers in the Forest of Dean local authority between 1999 and 2004.
	
		Directly age-standardised incidence and mortality rates per 100,000 population(1) for all malignant cancers(2) in the Forest of Dean(3) local authority, 1999–2004
		
			  Incidence Mortality 
		
		
			 1999 398.7 194.6 
			 2000 341.3 160.1 
			 2001 320.8 183.5 
			 2002 323.1 185,4 
			 2003 375.7 186.2 
			 2004 — 175.5 
		
	
	(1)Rates are directly standardised to the European standard population. In detailed analyses of trends in incidence and mortality over time for a particular cancer, ONS use age-standardised rates. These control for differences in the size and age structure of the population and allow unbiased comparison of rates over time.
	(2)Figures for malignant cancer incidence are based on the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), codes C00-C97, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer code C44. Cancer mortality figures arc based on the Ninth Revision (1CD-9) codes 140–208 for the years 1999–2000, and 1CD-10 codes C00-C97 for the years 2001–2004. Deaths were selected using the original underlying cause.
	(3)Usual residents in the area at time of death.
	(4)Deaths registered in each calendar year.
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics

Child Poverty

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government are taking to increase the financial support available to large families as recommended in the Treasury's 2004 child poverty review.

Dawn Primarolo: Between 1998–99 and 2003–04, the risk of poverty for children in families with three or more children has fallen more quickly than the average risk. However, the Child Poverty Review highlighted the fact that these families remain at greater risk of poverty than other families, and that nearly half of children in poverty live in large families.
	Since the review, the Government have increased the child element of the child tax credit (CTC), which is paid in respect of each and every child in a family and so of particular benefit to large families. The child element rose by £65 a year in April 2005 and will rise by a further £75 a year in April 2006, to £1,765. As a result of these and other Government reforms to the personal tax and benefit system since 1997, by April 2006 families with three or more children with an income of between £10,000 and £20,000 per year, for example, will be on average £100 per week better off in real terms.
	The Government have committed to increasing the child element at least in line with earnings in 2007–08. The Government have also commissioned research into poverty in large families to inform future policy, which is expected to report in 2006.

Child Tax Credit

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the savings from freezing the family element of child tax credit over the next three years.

Dawn Primarolo: Government forecast for spending on tax credits assume the family element remains at the same nominal rate. There are therefore no such savings.

Child Tax Credit

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the additional costs arising from changes to the childcare tax credit over the next three years.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government want families to be able to afford flexible, high quality child care that is appropriate for their needs. Therefore, the 2004 pre-Budget report announced that:
	the limits of the child care element of the working tax credit would be increased to £300 a week (£175 for one child) from April 2005; and
	the maximum proportion of costs that can be claimed would increase from 70 per cent. to 80 per cent. from April 2006.
	The costs of these measures were published in tableB4, p201, in the 2004 pre-Budget report.

Child Tax Credit

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications for child tax credit awards have been made by families with (a) one disabled child, (b) two disabled children, (c) three or more disabled children, (d) one severely disabled child, (e) two severely disabled children and (f) three or more severely disabled children in each month since April 2003.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on applications for child tax credit awards made by families with disabled and severely disabled children, on a monthly basis, is not available.
	Information on awards to in-work families with disabled children are detailed in Tables 5.2 and 5.4 of the HMRC publication 'Child and Working Tax Credits Provisional awards at April 2005'. This details the number of in-work families benefiting from the disabled child element and the number of in-work families benefiting from the severely disabled child element. This publication can be found on the HMRC website at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc- quarterly-stats.htm

Children's Deaths

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many children died in hospital of an infection in each of the last 10 years; and what proportion of children's deaths such deaths comprised in each year.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 13 December 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many children died in hospital of an infection in each of the last 10 years; and what proportion of children's deaths such deaths comprised in each year. (37332)
	The most recent year for which information on deaths is available is 2004. Figures are given in the table below for all infectious and parasitic diseases in each year from 1995 to 2004.
	
		Number of deaths from infectious or parasitic diseases(5) which occurred in hospital(6) in children aged under 16, England and Wales, 1995 to 2004(7)
		
			  Calendar year  Number of deaths Percentage of all deaths in children 
		
		
			 1995 223 3.8 
			 1996 217 3.7 
			 1997 218 3.9 
			 1998 226 4.2 
			 1999 227 4.3 
			 2000 188 3.8 
			 2001 178 3.7 
			 2002 130 2.8 
			 2003 149 3.1 
			 2004 140 3.0 
		
	
	(5)Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 001–139 for the years 1995 and 2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes A00-B99 from 2001 onwards.
	(6)NHS and non-NHS general hospitals.
	(7)Figures are for deaths occurring in each calendar year.

City Academies (VAT)

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of extending the provisions of section 33 of the Value Added Tax Act 1994 to city academies.

Ivan Lewis: No estimate has been made.

Citygate Public Affairs Ltd.

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings the Department has held with Citygate Public Affairs Ltd. since July.

John Healey: The Department does not maintain a central list of such contacts. Ministers and civil servants, including special advisers meet many people as part of the process of policy development and business delivery. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code, Civil Service Code, Code of Conduct for Special Advisers and Guidance for civil servants on contacts with lobbyists and people outside Government.

Company Regulations

Ian Davidson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the meetings held between hisDepartment and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister at which the decision to remove the obligation on businesses to publish operating and financial reviews was discussed.

Ivan Lewis: In line with the Government's commitment to simplifying company law and reducing the regulatory burden on business, the Government have decided to replace the requirement for quoted companies to produce a statutory Operating and Financial Review with a requirement to produce an enhanced Business Review. This aligns the reporting requirements of quoted companies with the requirements of the European Accounts Modernisation Directive and demonstrates the Government's ongoing commitment to strategic forward-looking narrative reporting.
	The Chancellor consulted with ministerial colleagues prior to making this decision. There were no meetings between the Treasury and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on this issue.

Consumer Debt

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average level of consumer debt was in (a) Essex, (b) England and (c) Wales in the last period for which figures are available; what assessment he has made of the level of debt in other parts of the UK; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: Figures from the Bank of England showed that the level of unsecured consumer debt in the UK in October 2005 was £191,406 million, of which £56,334 million is credit card debt and £135,072 million other. Official regional and average data are not available. The growth in unsecured lending is now at its lowest in over 10 years.

Death Rate (Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the death rate was for (a) cancer and (b) heart disease in (i) Lancashire, (ii) the North West and (iii)Chorley in the last period for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 13 December 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what the death rate was for (a) cancer and (b) heart disease in (i) Lancashire, (ii) the North West and (iii) Chorley in the last period for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (36772)
	The latest year for which the figures requested are available is 2004. These are given in the attached table.
	
		Death rates(8) from cancer and coronary heart disease(9) in the county of Lancashire,3,4 North West government office region and the local authority of Chorley,(11) 2004 -- Age standardised death rates per 100,000 population(8)
		
			  Cancer Coronary heart disease 
		
		
			 Lancashire 195 123 
			 North West 195 131 
			 Chorley 199 124 
		
	
	(8)Rates per 100,000 population standardised to the European Standard Population.
	(9)The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The codes used are listed as follows:
	Cancer (malignant neoplasms)—ICD-10 C00-C97;
	Coronary Heart Disease—ICD-10 120–125.
	Deaths were selected from those registered in 2004 using the original underlying cause.
	(10)The figures provided relate to the current county of Lancashire. This excludes the unitary authorities of Blackburn and Darwen, and Blackpool, created in 1998, which were part of the former county.
	(11)Usual residents of these areas.

Defined Benefit Schemes

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the factors affecting achange in tax relief on pension contributions going into defined benefit schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Following extensive consultation the Government are introducing a single regime for the taxation of pensions with a single set of rules for all pensions schemes, including defined benefit schemes, from 6 April 2006 There will be two key controls within the new system—a lifetime allowance—initially set at £1.5 million and an annual allowance, initially set at £215,000.
	The impact of any further change for defined benefit schemes would depend on a number of factors such as the specific funding, demographic and accruals of any individual scheme.

Defined Benefit Schemes

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much (a) higher rate tax relief and (b) basic rate tax relief was applied to (i) defined benefit private sector schemes, (ii) defined benefit public sector schemes and (iii) approved pension schemes in the last year for which figures are available.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) on 24 October 2005, Official Report, column 52W.
	It is not possible to provide such a breakdown for defined benefit private sector schemes or defined benefit public sector schemes.

Departmental Guidance (Evidence/Documentary Access)

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is with regard to (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department giving evidence to the (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) National Assembly for Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland Assembly committees; and to what categories of document he gives (A) full access, (B) restricted access and (C) no access to the (1) Scottish Parliament, (2) National Assembly for Wales, (3) Northern Ireland Assembly and (4) House of Commons select committees.

John Healey: Requests for Treasury Ministers or officials to give oral or written evidence to the devolved legislatures are considered on a case by case basis. Account is taken of the principles set out in the Cabinet Office guidance Departmental Evidence and Response to Select Committees" (July 2005), the policy outlined in the Department for Constitutional Affairs' Devolution Guidance Note No.12 Attendance of UK Ministers and Officials at Committees of the Devolved Legislatures" and the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act. The principles governing the provision of information to select committees of the House of Commons are contained in Departmental Evidence and Response to Select Committees", particularly sections 4B and 4C.

Departmental Relocation

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many departmental civil service jobs have been relocated to Scotland in each year since 2001.

Des Browne: Details of the number of departmental civil service jobs relocated to Scotland by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) prior to April 2004 are not available.
	In delivering against its commitment to relocate jobs following the report by Sir Michael Lyons, HMRC have moved 44 posts from London and the South East to Scotland since April 2004.
	HM Treasury has not relocated any posts to Scotland in the years in question.

Departmental Skills Development Plan

Nick Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's Skills Development Plan.

John Healey: A copy of the Department's Skills Development Plan has been deposited in the House of Commons Library.

Departmental Staff

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are taken by the Department to support staff with mental ill-health.

John Healey: The Treasury has taken the following steps to provide support to staff with mental ill-health: advice and practical support from the Department's welfare officer providing access, where necessary, to accredited counsellors, psychotherapists and referrals to mental ill health units via the NHS; alternative working patterns as part of the department's work-life balance policy; phased and monitored return to work after sick-absence; and adjustments to workloads and objectives.
	All employees benefit from the Department's work-life balance policy and have access to the welfare officer and to the Treasury's Supporters Network—a group of staff, independent of management, trained to support and offer advice to colleagues. Additional support is available from the Department's Disability Advisory Group, and other staff representative groups as well as from a confidential helpline administered by an external company.
	The Treasury has an effective disability strategy in place to support all employees with disabilities and to provide for reasonable adjustments as required under the Disability Discrimination Act. The next Department-wide disability awareness-raising seminar in January 2006 is on stress awareness and mental health.

Domestic Fuel Bills

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate (a) the yield of an extension of the climate change levy to domestic household fuel bills in the 2005–06 financial year and (b) the average increase in such bills which would result.

John Healey: Extending climate change levy, at full current rates, to all taxable fuel use by the domestic sector in 2005–06 would have yielded approximately £1 billion. The average increase in fuel bills would have been around £40 per household.

Early Retirement

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of his Department's employees have taken early retirement in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The number of HM Treasury's employees who have taken early retirement in each year since 1997 is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 4 
			 1998 7 
			 1999 6 
			 2000 9 
			 2001 6 
			 2002 7 
			 2003 8 
			 2004 8 
			 2005 8 
		
	
	These figures include those who have retired early on compulsory, flexible, ill-health or approved grounds.

e-Government

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps HM Revenue and Customs has taken in the last 12 months in conjunction with the US Administration to advance electronic government.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC is a member of the OECD(Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and an active participant in the Forum on Tax Administration's Taxpayer Services group. Through this forum, we share information and best practice with other fiscal authorities including the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
	In addition, in July 2005 I asked Lord Carter of Coles to advise Ministers on measures to further increase the use of HMRC's key online services, building on his previous review of payroll services.
	During the course of the review, Lord Carter and his team met a wide range of customers and agents, and spoke to those overseas tax authorities where there are high levels of online filing and some interesting and innovative approaches. This included discussions with the US Internal Revenue Service.
	Lord Carter has completed his review but wishes to assess the progress of HMRC's online services over the next few months, before finalising his conclusions by early spring 2006.

Employment (Forest of Dean)

Mark Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of employment was in Forest of Dean constituency in each of the last five years; and how many people in the constituency were not in education, employment or training in each year.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 13 December 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment. I am replying in her absence. (36871)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of employment from the Labour Force Survey following International Labour Organisation definitions. Table 1 shows the estimated number of people aged 16 and over in employment resident in the Forest of Dean constituency.
	Table 2 shows the number of people of working age resident on the Forest of Dean constituency who are not in full-time education, employment or training.
	Both tables cover the 12 month periods ending in February each year from 2001 to 2004 and the 12 month period ending in March 2005.
	These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution.
	
		Table 1: Number of persons aged 16 and over in employment resident in the Forest of Dean constituency
		
			 Thousand 
			 12 months ending In employment 
		
		
			 February  
			 2001 41 
			 2002 41 
			 2003 41 
			 2004 42 
			   
			 March  
			 2005 40 
		
	
	Source:
	Annual local area Labour Force Survey;
	Annual Population Survey
	
		Table 2: Number of persons of working age resident in the Forest of Dean constituency who are not in education, employment or training
		
			 Thousand 
			 12 months ending Not in education, employment or training 
		
		
			 February  
			 2001 10 
			 2002 10 
			 2003 9 
			 2004 9 
			   
			 March  
			 2005 10 
		
	
	Source:
	Annual local area Labour Force Survey;
	Annual Population Survey

Equitable Life

Adam Holloway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the parliamentary ombudsman on the time scale for the completion of his investigation into the prudential regulation of Equitable Life.

Ivan Lewis: The parliamentary ombudsman's investigation into the prudential regulation of Equitable Life is, like all such investigations, being conducted in private. The Treasury is co-operating fully with the investigation.
	The timetable for the completion of the parliamentary ombudsman's investigation is a matter for her.

EU Budget (UK Rebate)

Peter Bone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the future of the UK rebate within the EU Budget.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to the House on 5 December.

Game Rearing Farms

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 292W to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South, (Mr. Hancock) on game rearing farms, what estimate he has made of the amount of revenue which has been lost due to game farms in Scotland not being accurately registered for non-domestic rates.

Dawn Primarolo: This is a matter for the Scottish Executive.

Gershon Review

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in reassigning 13,500 civil service posts to frontline services as identified by the Gershon Review.

Des Browne: The PBR 2005 announced that over 5,700 reallocations to the frontline had been made by the end of September 2005. The Department for Work and Pensions made 4,211 reallocations and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs made 1,560 reallocations.

Government Borrowing Requirements

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the Government's borrowing requirements for the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: Tables B9 and B10 in annex B of the pre-Budget report 2005 set out the Government's latest projections for public sector net borrowing up to 2010–11.

Insurance Premium Tax

Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the level of fraud cases relating to the insurance premium tax since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: The Treasury is not aware of any continuing or growing level of fraud in relation to insurance premium tax. However, as with all taxes, the situation is kept under close scrutiny.

Nuclear Power

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the use of public funds (a) to support existing nuclear power generation capacity, (b) to deal with (i) past and (ii) future nuclear waste arising from power generation and (c) to support the construction of new nuclear plant generation capacity.

John Healey: The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry made a statement to the House of Commons on 7 March 2003 setting out the basis on which Government was prepared to provide support to British Energy. The documents setting out the relationship between British Energy and the Government are available on the Department for Trade and Industry website and on 23 November 2005 the Secretary of State was questioned by the Environmental Audit Committee about Government's relationship with British Energy.
	The liabilities from past and present nuclear generation will be managed by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. The Energy Act 2004 allowed for the creation of this body and it began operating in April 2005.
	The future of nuclear power will be considered by the Energy Review led by the Energy Minister, Malcolm Wicks. The Review will be taken forward in the context of the Government's commitment to sound public finances and will take account of all short-term medium-term and long-term costs and liabilities to both the taxpayer and energy user.

Oil Tax

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his Department's share in tax was of the average value of a barrel of North sea oil in (a) May 2002 and (b) November 2005.

Dawn Primarolo: All North sea oil taxes are profit related. Direct tax is estimated to have accounted for 27 per cent. of the average value of a barrel of oil produced in May 2002 compared with 33 per cent. in November 2005 which reflects the increased share per barrel of oil accounted for by producers' profits between the two periods.

Oil Tax

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the net financial impact on the UK oil and gas industry of the proposed changes to the North sea tax regime.

Dawn Primarolo: The changes in tax liabilities for the UK oil and gas industry resulting from the reform of the North sea fiscal regime announced in the 2005 pre-Budget report are shown in table 1.2 of the 2005 pre-Budget report.

Oil Tax

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he expects to be the value to the oil and gas industry of the new ring fenced expenditure supplement contained in the pre-Budget report.

Dawn Primarolo: The ring fenced expenditure supplement is targeted at North sea oil companies that do not have sufficient profits to take immediate advantage of the 100 per cent. capital allowances for investment in the North sea. These are likely to be new entrant companies or others who invest heavily in the North sea and are an important sector for the continued vitality of oil and gas production in the UK. The value of the supplement will build up over time and is forecast to reduce tax liabilities by around £25 million by 2011–12.

Oil Tax

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the increase in corporation tax supplementary charge on oil company future investment in the North Sea.

Dawn Primarolo: The changes announced in the pre-Budget report were subject to detailed analysis to ensure that the North Sea tax regime delivers the Government's objectives of striking the right balance between oil producers and consumers by promoting investment and ensuring fairness for taxpayers.

Personal Debt

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) men, (b) women and (c) households in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Northamptonshire and (iii) Kettering constituency are estimated to have personal debts excluding housing mortgages of over £10,000; and what the equivalent figures were (A) 10 years ago and (B) in 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 13 December 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on the number of (a) men, (b) women and (c) households in England and Wales, (ii) Northamptonshire and (iii) Kettering Constituency that were estimated to haye personal debts excluding housing mortgages of over £10,000. (36139)
	The information requested is not available.
	The only information available is national data on household debt. The household debt (excluding mortgage debt) was £319.8 billion at the end of 2004 compared with £156.8 billion at the end of 1997 and £132.4 billion at the end of 1994. On a per head basis, the household debt (excluding mortgage debt) was £6,727 at the end of 2004 compared with £3,439 at the end of 1997, and £2,935 at the end of 1994.

Public Appointments

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the former hon. Members who left Parliament in 2005 who have since been appointed to public bodies by his Department, broken down by party; and who was responsible for making each appointment.

John Healey: The Treasury has not made any such appointments.

Science Cities

Ian Gibson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to increase the number of science cities.

John Healey: In the 2004 pre-Budget report and in Budget 2005, the Government supported plans by the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) to develop six science cities" in Manchester, Newcastle, York, Birmingham, Nottingham, and Bristol. These science cities are developing plans that respond to their particular strengths in terms of research and economic development. It is for RDAs to take the lead role in identifying science cities and detailed implementation plans, in line with their wider strategies for regional economic development, science and innovation.

Self-invested Personal Pensions

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government is taking to encourage investment in self-invested personal pension schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Pensions tax simplification replaces eight different sets of rules with a single unified regime. It removes unnecessary obstacles to retirement planning and saving across the whole spectrum of pension saving. Lifetime allowances give much more flexibility about when a person can save, so if a person can only afford to start saving for a pension late in life, there is plenty of headroom to boost those savings when it is affordable for a person to do so.
	All pension savers, including the lower income groups, will benefit from the lower administration costs of simplifying the numerous existing regimes into one, so the cost savings can be passed on via increased pension benefits.

Legislation (Sunset Clauses)

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is in respect of the use of sunset clauses in legislation.

John Healey: The appropriateness of a sunset clause for the whole or part of any proposed legislation is considered on a case by case basis. It is also addressed when a regulatory impact assessment relating to legislation is being prepared.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the false use of Department for Work and Pensions staff identities in fraudulent tax credit claims.

Dawn Primarolo: I am aware that a number of DWP staff appear to have had their details used by others to claim tax credits. This matter is now the subject of a criminal investigation involving HMRC and DWP therefore it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been employed by his Department in dealing with complaints about tax credits in each month since April 2003.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is not available.
	It is not possible to isolate the total number of people employed by HM Revenue and Customs to deal with complaints about tax credits. Staff in various parts of the Department may handle complaints about tax credits, but for most this would be in addition to other work.

Tax Credits

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the reasons why people have been overpaid tax credits;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the reasons why people have been overpaid tax credits in Northern Ireland.

Dawn Primarolo: Analysis of overpayments suggests that they result from a number of factors: income rises from one year to the next; families overestimating the extent to which their income has fallen when they seek extra support during the year; provisional payments made at the start of the tax year, which are based on out-of-date information that is subsequently updated when the award is renewed; and delays in reporting changes in families' personal circumstances to HMRC.

Tax Credits

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recent performance of the tax credits system.

Dawn Primarolo: I would refer the hon. Member to my statement to the Treasury sub-committee of 26 October 2005, HC 524-ii and my written statement of 5 December 2005, Official Report, column 55WS.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library copies of the minutes of meetings (a) held between HM Revenue and Customs and the former Inland Revenue and the HMRC Tax Credits Consultation Group and (b) of the related working parties since 2003.

Dawn Primarolo: The work of the Consultation Group is covered by a confidentiality agreement. HMRC values the skills and expertise of the group and does not wish to lose the ability to discuss policy matters in confidence.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many notifications of a change of address by recipients of tax credit awards have been received in each month since April 2003.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely cost of paying tax credits from April 2006 to claimants when their income rises by less than £25,000, as announced by the Paymaster General on 5 December.

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost of increasing the income disregard for tax credits to £25,000 in each of the next three years;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the savings arising from requiring families to return their tax credit renewal forms by the end of August in each of the next three years;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the effect on public funds over the next three years of assuming a family's income rises in line with average earnings while waiting for income information relating to the renewal of a tax credit award.

Dawn Primarolo: The cost of the measures announced on 5 December, including the rises in the disregard to £25,000 and shortening the renewal date to the end of August, are set down in table 1.2 of the 2005 pre-Budget report (Cm6701). It is not possible to produce robust estimates of the impact of individual elements of the package of measures as there are significant interactions between the different components.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of families receiving tax credits he expects HM Revenue and Customs to contact over the next three years to check if there have been any changes in income or circumstances.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to him on 28 November 2005, Official Report, column 83W regarding HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) pro-active pilot. HMRC will consider the findings of the pilot carefully to determine the benefits of introducing pro-active customer contact as part of its day-to-day business, how many families to contact and when.
	As I stated in my written statement to the House on 5 December 2005, from 2007 HMRC plan to contact key groups of claimants near to the renewals window to obtain more up-to-date information on which to base the next year's payments while the finalisation process is completed. Information on the numbers that HMRC will contact is not yet available.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the National Audit Office has informed him that it intends to begin an investigation into the introduction of the new tax credits.

Dawn Primarolo: I have not been informed of any plans to conduct such an investigation. The content of the National Audit Office's work programme is a matter for the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Tax Credits

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints have been received by the hon. Members' tax credit hotline in the last 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not keep separate records of the number of calls to its MP Hotline facility that involve a complaint.

Tax Returns

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax returns were filed incorrectly by individuals in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004; and what measures were undertaken by HM Customs and Revenue to ensure that those individuals who filed incorrect statements and subsequently paid too much tax were reimbursed promptly and efficiently.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC assess the accuracy of filed self assessment tax returns using its automated risk assessment system and through an annual random inquiry programme. Figures are not yet available for the years requested because all inquiries must be completed before analysis. If, upon capture of the information on the return, a repayment of tax is found to be due, the repayment is made automatically from the computer system.

Tax Returns

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average (a) direct and (b) indirect cost per Pay as you Earn return was in the last period for which figures are available; and what the average cost per self-assessment online return was in that period.

Dawn Primarolo: The current averaged direct cost (paybill) of processing a paper self assessment return is £5.46. Indirect costs (overheads excluding IT) are a further £4.42. (HMRC are unable to differentiate costs between those self assessment tax returns relating to PAYE taxpayers and those returns relating to others).
	The current averaged cost of processing an online self assessment return are direct costs £0.97 and indirect costs a further £0.62.

Tax Returns

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the loss of tax revenue in a year consequent on errors in tax returns; and what guidance he (a) has issued and (b) plans to issue to reduce the number of such errors.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC assesses the accuracy of filed returns using its automated risk assessment system and through an annual random inquiry programme. This was reported in the NAO report Filing of Income Tax Self- Assessment Returns" that was published on 22 June 2005 and can be found on the NAO's website at http://www.nao.org.uk/.
	HMRC helps taxpayers file accurate returns through the information and support available on its website, telephone call centres and helplines, inquiry centres, written guidance, and through its tax offices. HMRC's enabling programme seeks to improve the accuracy of future tax returns through targeted intervention and guidance.

Tax Returns

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will make available guidance to those who make a mistake when completing on-line self-assessment tax returns;
	(2)  what steps his Department takes to offer guidance to an individual who makes a mistake when completing an on-line self-assessment tax return.

Dawn Primarolo: Guidance for completing self-assessment returns is available online at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/individuals/tmaself-assessment.shtml.
	Customers completing a self-assessment return online are guided through the return and are only asked questions that are relevant to their return. Help is available through help buttons on questions and context sensitive help for technical terms and phrases.
	There are on screen validation checks as the user moves between pages and the whole return is validated before submission to ensure that the data provided is arithmetically correct and that all relevant questions have been completed.

Tax Returns

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  why HM Revenue and Customs reduced the target e-filing tax returns by 2005 to 25 per cent.; and what recent assessment he has made of whether that target will be reached;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of progress towards the national target of 35 per cent. of electronic filing of tax returns by 2007–08.

Dawn Primarolo: The Modernising Government White Paper initially set a target that 100 per cent. of all Government services were to be available online by 2005, and a 50 per cent. take-up of those services should be achieved. This was reflected in the Inland Revenue Public Service Agreement 2001–04.
	The Inland Revenue revised this overarching target based on their understanding of the market and set specific targets for each of the services it provides. These were agreed with the Treasury.
	The departmental Public Service Agreements for 2003–06 and 2005–08 are posted on the HMRC Internet site. HMRC has a target of 25 per cent. of SA returns filed electronically 2005–06 and 35 per cent. by 2007–08.
	HM Revenue and Customs expects to achieve its target of 35 per cent. of Self Assessment tax returns received online by March 2008.

Tender Specification Documents

Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has conducted into the quality of tender specification documents issued by public bodies to private organisations bidding for public contracts; and if he will (a) conduct a sampled investigation into (i) the quality of these documents and (ii) what additional costs and inefficiencies are created in the bidding process due to poorly written documents and (b) produce guidance to assist public bodies in drafting clearly comprehensible tender specification documents.

John Healey: No such research has been conducted by the Departments and agencies responsible to Treasury Ministers, neither is any planned. Guidance on best practice in procurement, and project and programme management (including model terms and conditions for the purchase of goods and services) is available for public authorities on the Office of Government Commerce's website www.ogc.gov.uk.

Trust Schools (VAT Status)

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value added tax status will be of the trust schools proposed in the White Paper, Higher Standards, Better Standards for All.

Ivan Lewis: Trust schools, as with any other school, will be subject to the VAT rules set out in the VAT Act 1994.

Unclaimed Assets

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the funds that will be recovered in unclaimed assets from bank accounts held by (a) account holders whose last known residence was in Scotland and (b) banks in Scotland.

Ivan Lewis: As announced in the pre-Budget report 2005, based on the definition that unclaimed assets should generally cover accounts where there has been no customer activity for a period of 15 years, initial record searches by the industry suggest that several hundred million pounds may currently lie unclaimed.
	This figure is for the UK as a whole.

Unclaimed Assets

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how unclaimed assets from dormant bank accounts of account holders last known to be resident in Scotland will be used.

Ivan Lewis: As announced in the pre-Budget report 2005, the Government believes that where owners and their assets cannot be reunited, the money should be reinvested in the community, particularly in deprived communities, in a sustainable way, through a co-ordinated delivery mechanism, with a focus on youth services that are responsive to the needs of young people, and also on financial education and exclusion. There would be an option for small locally-based financial institutions to focus on these needs in their local communities.
	The Government and the industry will continue to work together, to develop the best structure to deliver this approach, and will consult with stakeholders such as organisations representing the interests of young people and the Commission on Unclaimed Assets.

VAT (Charities)

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government will implement the European Sixth VAT Directive Article 13A(1)(f) to enable charities to claim tax relief when they work collaboratively.

Ivan Lewis: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have considered a number of cases where it was claimed that Article 13A(1)(f) of the Sixth VAT Directive applied. In each case VAT exemption was already available under UK law, or the transactions in question did not meet all the conditions of Article 13A(1)(f).
	However, the Government keep all taxes under review and HMRC are in discussion with the charitable sector about a range of VAT issues.

Working Tax Credits

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people (a) are eligible for and (b) have received the working tax credits in the Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland constituency.

Dawn Primarolo: Estimates of the numbers of those entitled to working families' tax credit are not available at constituency level.
	Estimates of the number of recipient families of working families' tax credit from 2001–02 broken down by constituency appear in the quarterly WFTC and DPTC geographical analyses. These publications can be found on the HMRC website at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm.
	Figures for the child and working tax credits can also be found at this address.

SCOTLAND

Air Passengers (Financial Protection)

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Department for Transport about the financial protection of air passengers on flights to and from Scotland.

Alistair Darling: Financial protection for air passengers is dealt with through UK and EU legislation.

Reserved Matters

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with chief constables in Scotland on reserved matters.

David Cairns: My right hon. Friend has had no such discussions other than in June this year when he met the chief constables of two Scottish police forces to receive oral briefings on security preparations for the G8 summit at Gleneagles.

Energy Needs

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the FirstMinister on Scotland's energy needs for winter 2005–06.

Alistair Darling: I have regular discussions with the First Minister on a range of issues.

Shipbuilding

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent steps the Government have taken to help the shipbuilding industry in Scotland.

David Cairns: Scottish shipbuilders compete on a commercial basis and I congratulate the two yards who won orders for civilian ships in recent weeks. The Government itself is a significant customer for Scottish shipyards engaged in military shipbuilding. The Ministry of Defence and members of the shipbuilding industry are working closely together to develop a comprehensive maritime industrial strategy to sustain maritime capability in the long-term.

Asylum and Immigration

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues and the First Minister on asylum and immigration issues in Scotland.

David Cairns: My right hon. Friend meets Cabinet colleagues and the First Minister regularly to discuss a wide range of issues.

Electoral Arrangements

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the report from the Arbuthnott Commission on electoral arrangements in Scotland will be published; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Darling: I expect to receive the Arbuthnott Commission report in the course of January.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Parliamentary Questions

Ben Chapman: To ask the Leader of the House what recent representations he has received from hon. Members regarding tabling of parliamentary questions during the summer recess.

Nigel Griffiths: This issue has been raised in business questions and my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House remains open to other representations.
	Ministers remain accountable for the work of their Department in recesses, and Members can and do correspond with them during recesses.

Constituency Office Staff

Sarah Teather: To ask the Leader of the House how many cases of violence towards hon. Members' staff in constituency offices have been made known to House authorities in each year since 1997.

Nigel Griffiths: This information is not recorded centrally. Members should report cases of violence towards them, to the House authorities.
	A central House of Commons budget may contribute to the costs of security measures taken in the constituency to safeguard Members' staff, their equipment and themselves.

Ex Members of Parliament (Service Provision)

Barbara Follett: To ask the Leader of the House what recent assessment he has made of the level of services available to hon. Members who lose their seats.

Nigel Griffiths: Members who lose their seats are eligible for assistance through the Resettlement Grant and through the Winding Up Allowance.
	The Administration Select Committee has been conducting an inquiry on this subject. Its report will be presented to the House in due course.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Cleaners (Pay Dispute)

David Taylor: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what recent discussions the Commission has had with contractors and trade union representatives on the dispute with cleaners in the House.

Nick Harvey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Cardiff North (Julie Morgan).

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Victims of Crime

Si�n Simon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what measures her Department has introduced to improve support for victims of crime.

Harriet Harman: We have invested over 3 million this year to improve the safety and comfort of victims of crime.
	We will give bereaved relatives of victims of homicide a right to speak to the court after conviction but before sentence. At present, though they are the people most affected by the crime, they are the only ones who have to remain silent throughout the court proceedings.
	I met last month with the Deputy Lord Chief Justice and have today written to him to tell him that we are considering piloting allowing victims relatives to speak in courts in about five courts from April next year.
	Under consideration are
	London
	Nottingham/ Sheffield/ Leeds.
	Birmingham
	Cardiff
	Exeter and Winchester
	Liverpool/Manchester

Compensation Culture

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps she is taking to tackle the potential growth of a compensation culture.

Bridget Prentice: The Government are taking forward a wide programme of work to prevent a compensation culture from developing; to tackle perceptions that can lead to a disproportionate fear of litigation and risk averse behaviour; to discourage and resist bad claims; and to improve the system for those with a valid claim for compensation. The Compensation Bill is an important part of that work.

Community Law Centres

Diana Johnson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she willmake a statement on the role of community law centres.

Bridget Prentice: Community law centres play a key role in helping some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in society. Their benefit to local communities is made possible by committed and dedicated staff.

Freedom of Information Act

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the response of local authorities to applications under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: My Department does not formally monitor local authorities' performance in responding to applications under the Freedom of Information Act, to avoid imposing an administrative burden.
	However, the impression from independent surveys is that under the Freedom of Information Act the public are accessing a huge amount of new information.

Data Protection Act

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on the operation of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Harriet Harman: The Data Protection Act provides a robust framework of protection for individuals' data which properly balances that right with the legitimate interests of other individuals and organisations.

Union of Democratic Mineworkers (Industrial Injury Claims)

John Mann: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans shehas to regulate the activities of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers as a claims handler for industrial injuries.

Bridget Prentice: The Compensation Bill will provide the legislative framework to introduce the statutory regulation of claims management activities. We intend to use the secondary legislation to exempt trade unions regulated by the Certification Officer from the new provisions, probably subject to conditions such as having regard to the regulators code of practice. Any claims management company established, owned or run by a trade union would not be included in any exemption.

Domestic Violence

Robert Flello: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on specialist domestic violence courts.

Harriet Harman: This is a joint initiative. My Department wrote to all magistrates courts committees on 15 December 2004 asking for expressions of interest in setting up a specialist DV court (SDVC). The responses were analysed, and a selection process established the first 25 specialist domestic violence court systems across England and Wales.

Legal Professions (Diversity)

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps she is taking to increase diversity in the legal professions.

Bridget Prentice: On 23 November I published a report setting out the actions that the Government will take to ensure that talent in the legal profession is drawn from all sections of society, regardless of background.

Voting Systems

Andrew Miller: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of voting systems used in the United Kingdom.

Harriet Harman: An internal review of the experiences of the new UK voting systems introduced for the devolved Administrations, the European Parliament and London Assembly elections is being conducted by officials within my Department. It is at an early stage, and any decisions regarding the next steps for the review will be taken in due course.

Coroners

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on her review of the role of coroners.

Harriet Harman: Our review of the coroner service is due to conclude soon and I will be in a position to make a full statement on our proposals for reforming the service next year.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Avian Influenza

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the sentinel birds at the quarantine centre in Essex were treated for avian influenza virus after the death of other birds was reported.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 24 November 2005
	The sentinel birds at the quarantine centre in Essex were not treated for the avian influenza virus. However, they were culled and tested for the disease, as is required by the quarantine rules. All were found to be negative.

Beef Imports (Brazil)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of imported Brazilian beef on (a) British farmers and (b) the UK beef industry.

Jim Knight: The United Kingdom is not self-sufficient in beef and requires supplies from third countries such as Brazil to meet consumer demand. Each year, around half of the beef imported into the UK from outside the European Union comes from Brazil. Such imports are a valuable source of raw material for our processing industry.
	Our beef industry currently faces a number of challenges, including those arising from the ending of production based CAP subsidies and also in relation to the ending of the Over Thirty Month Scheme for cattle. My noble Friend, the Minister for Food and Farming (Lord Bach) recently hosted a high level meeting to bring the supply chain together to discuss the future, at which he also announced a package of measures worth around 8 million to help the beef sector move forward.

Cockle Beds (Pilling Sands)

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the Minister for Nature Conservation and Fisheries will make an official visit to Pilling Sands before a decision is taken by the North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee to re-open cockle beds there.

Ben Bradshaw: The decision to re-open cockle beds at Pilling Sands rests with the North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee. I have no plans to make an official visit to Pilling Sands.

Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) of 30 November 2005, Official Report, columns 50506W, on the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, if she will list the additional green spaces that have become accessible in Worcestershire as a result of the Access Management Grant Scheme.

Jim Knight: A new right of public access on foot to open country and registered common land was created by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, and was commenced in Worcestershire on 31 October 2005. The Access Management Grant Scheme is intended to facilitate public access to this land, by helping to pay for local management planning/consultation, and for on-site infrastructure such as gates, stiles and signage. Public access to the following areas of access land in Worcestershire has been facilitated through the provision of on-site infrastructure under the Scheme:
	
		
			 Area  
		
		
			 Upper Ham, Kempsey Signage 
			 Purshall Green, Elmbridge Signage, gate 
			 Uckinghall Meadow, Ripple Signage 
			 Lower Ham, Kempsey Signage 
			 Ankerdine Common, Doddenham Signage 
			 Pipers Hill Common, Dodderhill Signage, gate, fencing 
			 Pound Green Common, Upper Arley Signage 
			 Hartlebury Common, Hartlebury Signage, path 
			 Powick Hams, Powick Signage, 
			 Waseley Hills, Romsley Signage, gates, linear route 
			 Asharn Meadow, Birlingham Signage

Dairy Herds

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average size is of a dairy herd in England.

Jim Knight: The average size of a dairy herd in England is 88 cows.
	Notes
	1. The figure is the total number of dairy cows divided by the number of holdings with dairy cows.
	2. Dairy herd classified as all dairy cows and heifers that have calved.
	Source
	June 2004 Agricultural Survey

Dairy Herds

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of changes in the size of dairy herds since 1970.

Jim Knight: The number of dairy cows in England from 1970 to 2005 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Dairy cows (number) 
		
		
			 1970 2,063,905 
			 1971 2,079,156 
			 1972 2,150,591 
			 1973 2,223,876 
			 1974 2,198,324 
			 1975 2,114,625 
			 1976 2,113,020 
			 1977 2,130,081 
			 1978 2,137,785 
			 1979 2,150,703 
			 1980 2,116,273 
			 1981 2,083,140 
			 1982 2,132,320 
			 1983 2,176,756 
			 1984 2,101,584 
			 1985 2,027,753 
			 1986 2,017,327 
			 1987 1,939,944 
			 1988 1,853,394 
			 1989 1,801,844 
			 1990 1,999,000 
			 1991 1,937,700 
			 1992 1,872,700 
			 1993 1,862,800 
			 1994 1,898,400 
			 1995 1,810,700 
			 1996 1,784,700 
			 1997 1,701,700 
			 1998 1,642,636 
			 1999 1,659,210 
			 2000 1,574,779 
			 2001 1,490,226 
			 2002 1,462,155 
			 2003 1,434,727 
			 2004 1,374,455 
			 2005(12) 1,315,000 
		
	
	(12) 2005 figure is provisional.
	Notes:
	1. Data prior to 2000 excludes minor holdings, data after 2000 includes all holdings.
	2. Dairy herd classified as all dairy cows and heifers that have calved.
	Source:
	June Agricultural Survey.
	Since 1984 UK production has been constrained by milk quota where penalties are incurred if total production goes over pre set limits. During this period cow numbers have declined while average milk yield per cow has increased allowing total production to remain relatively stable at the level of quota.

Dairy Herds

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many UK dairy farmers have cattle herds of over 1,000.

Jim Knight: There a very few (under five) holdings with more than 1,000 dairy cows. To protect confidentiality of individual holding information as required by the Agricultural Statistics Act (1979), we are not able to release the precise number given the small numbers involved.
	Figures for the other UK countries fall under the jurisdiction of the devolved authorities.

Departmental Staff

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many of her Department's employees have taken early retirement in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: Defra was created in June 2001 and the following table shows the number of employees who have taken early retirement since then.
	
		
			  Defra Executive Agencies 
		
		
			 2001(13) 22 5 
			 2002 57 7 
			 2003 72 9 
			 2004 64 14 
			 2005(14) 53 19 
			 Total 268 54 
		
	
	(13) 9 June to 31 December.
	(14) 1 January to 30 November.
	The above figures include those who have retired voluntarily with an actuarially reduced pension, those who have retired with benefits under the civil service compensation scheme and those who have retired on ill-health grounds.

Fishing Jurisdiction (Isle of Man)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent (a) discussions, (b) meetings and (c) correspondence she has had with the Isle of Man Government in relation to the extent of its fishing jurisdiction; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: There have been no discussions, or meetings between the Isle of Man Government and DEFRA Ministers in relation to its recent proposals to extend the Isle of Man's fishing jurisdiction from 3 to 12 miles. I have had correspondence from the Isle of Man Government regarding the proposals and DEFRA, along with the devolved Administrations in Scotland and Northern Ireland, consulted stakeholders on them in the summer. A decision on the outcome of the consultation will be communicated to the Isle of Man Government in due course.

Milk Price

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average retail price is of a litre of milk in the (a) UK and (b) each EU member state; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Average retail prices per litre of milk from 1975 to 1993 are shown in the following table. More recent prices of milk are only available from the statistical offices in the member states and would take disproportionate cost to collate.
	
		Average retail price per litre of milk in the UK, and selected EU member states
		
			 Currency 
			  UK(15) Germany(16) France (Paris)(16) Italy (Rome)(16) Netherlands(16) Belgium(16) 
			  Pence Dm FF Lit Fl BF 
		
		
			 1975 12.0 1.0 1.4 235 0.9 12.8 
			 1976 15.0 1.0 1.6 256 1.0 13.2 
			 1977 19.3 1.1 1.8 337 1.0 15.5 
			 1978 22.4 1.1 1.9 390 1.1 16.5 
			 1979 26.0 1.1 2.1 410 1.1 16.8 
			 1980 30.0 1.1 2.4 480 1.2 17.3 
			 1981 33.0 1.2 2.6 644 1.3 16.3 
			 1982 35.2 1.2 3.0 788 1.4 18.1 
			 1983 37.0 1.3 3.5 894 1.4 20.2 
			 1984 38.7 1.2 3.8 964 1.4 21.3 
			 1985 40.5 1.2 4.1 1040 1.4 22.9 
			 1986 42.0 1.2 4.4 1103 1.4 23.6 
			 1987 44.0 1.2 4.6 1120 1.3 24.4 
			 1988 46.0 1.2 4.6 1142 1.3 24.2 
			 1989 49.0 1.2 4.9 1250 1.4 25.4 
			 1990 55.0 1.3 5.2 1397 1.4 26.0 
			 1991 56.0 1.3 5.4 1529 1.4 25.9 
			 1992 60.0 1.3 5.7 1631 1.4 24.9 
			 1993 60.0 1.3 5.4 1631 1.4 25.7 
			 1994 63.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1995 63.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1996 63.0  n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1997 62.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1998 60.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1999 60.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2000 60.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2001 65.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2002 63.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2003 65.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2004 62.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	
		Currency
		
			  Luxembourg(16) Irish Republic(16) Denmark(16) Greece(16) Portugal(16) 
			  LF Pence Dkr Dr Esc 
		
		
			 1975 15.5 7.5 2.2 n/a n/a 
			 1976 17.3 7.0 2.3 n/a n/a 
			 1977 18.0 8.0 2.7 n/a n/a 
			 1978 18.0 8.0 2.8 n/a n/a 
			 1979 18.0 11.5 3.0 n/a n/a 
			 1980 18.0 13.0 3.2 n/a n/a 
			 1981 19.3 15.0 3.6 32.9 n/a 
			 1982 20.8 15.0 4.2 37.1 n/a 
			 1983 24.0 15.0 4.6 42.8 24.6 
			 1984 26.0 19.0 4,4 49.0 37.1 
			 1985 26.0 22.5 5.8 62.5 48.0 
			 1986 27.0 24.0 5.7 79.4 54.4 
			 1987 28.5 27.0 5.6 84.4 59.2 
			 1988 28.5 28.0 5.7 87.9 60.0 
			 1989 30.5 31.0 6.1 106.0 60.0 
			 1990 30.5 32.0 6.3 125.9 86.4 
			 1991 32.0 54.0 6.2 145.8 93.3 
			 1992 33.0 55.6 6.1 187.6 99.2 
			 1993 33.0 58.0 5.5 n/a n/a 
			 1994 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1995 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1996 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1997 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1998 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1999 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2000 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2001 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2002 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2003 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2004 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	n/a = price not available.
	(15) Annual average price for one litre of shop bought milk and one litre of delivered milk.
	(16) Price as at January.
	Sources:
	(17) Office for National StatisticsAverage consumer prices
	(18) Milk Marketing Board EEC Dairy Facts and Figures. 1979, 1982, 1986 and 1993

Milk Price

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the average real terms price per litre of milk in (a) the UK and (b) each EU member state in each year since 1975.

Jim Knight: EUROSTAT publish selected indices of consumer prices in member states. There is no index available for milk, but there is a combined index for prices of milk, cheese and eggs. The index (based on 1996=100) in real terms is shown in the following table. Information is only readily available from 1995.
	
		Index (1996=100) of UK and EU prices of milk, cheese and eggs in real terms
		
			  1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Belgium 101 100 99 99 98 96 96 96 96 95 
			 Czech Republic n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 82 80 79 77 78 
			 Denmark 99 100 102 102 102 101 102 103 103 99 
			 Germany 101 100 99 98 96 93 96 97 95 93 
			 Estonia 95 100 95 90 85 87 91 86 83 88 
			 Greece 108 100 97 98 98 99 101 101 101 101 
			 Spain 101 100 98 97 94 92 95 96 95 95 
			 France n/a 100 100 100 100 100 103 104 104 102 
			 Ireland 99 100 99 97 97 93 93 92 91 90 
			 Italy 99 100 99 97 95 94 95 95 95 94 
			 Cyprus n/a 100 105 110 111 108 108 115 118 123 
			 Latvia n/a 100 94 88 84 83 84 83 84 91 
			 Lithuania n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 86 84 96 95 
			 Luxembourg 101 100 98 99 100 98 100 102 101 99 
			 Hungary n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 61 61 60 57 
			 Malta n/a 100 104 103 100 98 97 96 94 93 
			 Netherlands 101 100 98 98 96 94 96 97 98 93 
			 Austria 101 100 99 99 99 96 98 98 97 98 
			 Poland n/a 100 95 92 86 88 86 83 83 84 
			 Portugal 101 100 98 97 95 94 93 91 90 87 
			 Slovenia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 78 75 75 72 69 
			 Slovakia n/a 100 104 102 96 95 92 92 90 89 
			 Finland 102 100 100 98 97 96 98 99 101 103 
			 Sweden 104 100 100 99 100 100 99 102 103 102 
			 United Kingdom n/a 100 98 95 93 91 93 93 94 95 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	Source:
	EUROSTAT, harmonised index of consumer prices.

Milk Price

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average wholesale price per litre of milk paid to UK dairy farmers was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The following table is taken from the latest DEFRA statistics notice and shows the most recent UK farm-gate prices up to September 2005.
	
		Farm-gate prices
		
			 Pence per litre 
			  Excluding any retrospective bonus payments made by purchasers Including retrospective bonus payments made by purchasers 
		
		
			 2001 19.13 19.26 
			 2002 17.05 17.10 
			 2003 18.01 18.03 
			 2004(19) 18.45 18.47 
			
			 2004(19)   
			 September 19.48 19.49 
			 October 19.51 19.53 
			 November 19.48 19.50 
			 December 18.92 18.94 
			
			 2005   
			 January 18.52 18.54 
			 February 18.31 18.34 
			 March 18.32 18.33 
			 April 17.58 17.60 
			 May 17.11 17.12 
			 June 17.30 17.31 
			 July 18.05 18.07 
			 August 18.63 18.65 
			 September 19.18 19.19 
		
	
	(19) Data from this point are provisional.

Milk Price

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the relationship between supermarkets and dairy farmers; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Supermarkets and dairy farmers have an indirect commercial relationship largely through intermediary companies such as milk buyers and processors. We are encouraging dialogue between all parts of the supply chain through the Dairy Supply Chain Forum, chaired by my noble Friend, the Lord Bach, as we believe the challenges facing the sector can be solved only by collaborative action.

Milk Price

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the average real terms retail price per litre of milk in the UK in each year since 1975.

Jim Knight: An index (based on 1975 = 100) of milk prices in real terms is shown in the following table. In real terms the retail price of milk has been broadly stable over the last few years.
	
		Index of UK milk prices in real terms
		
			  Index (1975=100) 
		
		
			 1975 100.0 
			 1976 116.5 
			 1977 126.5 
			 1978 132.7 
			 1979 132.3 
			 1980 128.6 
			 1981 129.2 
			 1982 129.5 
			 1983 128.9 
			 1984 126.1 
			 1985 125.3 
			 1986 127.2 
			 1987 128.8 
			 1988 128.3 
			 1989 128.4 
			 1990 126.7 
			 1991 128.7 
			 1992 129.1 
			 1993 129.8 
			 1994 130.3 
			 1995 131.1 
			 1996 130.4 
			 1997 126.2 
			 1998 122.1 
			 1999 119.2 
			 2000 114.9 
			 2001 119.6 
			 2002 121.0 
			 2003 121.7 
			 2004 120.5 
		
	
	Source:
	Office of National Statistics, Retail Price Index

Milk Price

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the wholesale price per litre of milk paid to UK farmers in each year since 1975.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the weighted average farmgate price for the UK from 1970 to 2004.
	
		United Kingdom milk pricesCalendar year Farmgate milk prices1Classification: public domain
		
			 Units: Pence per litre 
			  Excluding bonus payments(21) Including bonus payments(22) 
		
		
			 1970  3.83 
			 1971  4.16 
			 1972  4.38 
			 1973  4.81 
			 1974  5.96 
			 1975  7.64 
			 1976  9.02 
			 1977  9.90 
			 1978  10.32 
			 1979  11.15 
			 1980  12.52 
			 1981  13.26 
			 1982  14.54 
			 1983  14.64 
			 1984  14.61 
			 1985  14.99 
			 1986  15.53 
			 1987  16.11 
			 1988  17.28 
			 1989  18.39 
			 1990  18.47 
			 1991  19.93 
			 1992  20.95 
			 1993  21.97 
			 1994  22.43 
			 1995 24.47 24.94 
			 1996 24.87 25.02 
			 1997 21.95 22.12 
			 1998 19.26 19.37 
			 1999 18.30 18.35 
			 2000 16.91 16.93 
			 2001 19.13 19.26 
			 2002 17.05 17.10 
			 2003 18.01 18.03 
			 2004 18.45 18.47 
		
	
	(20) Average prices have been calculated from separate monthly surveys of milk purchasers conducted in England and Wales by Defra, in Scotland by SEERAD and in Northern Ireland by DARD. The surveys were introduced following changes to the milk marketing arrangements in 199495. The farm gate price is the average price received by producers, net of delivery charges. No deduction has been made for the superlevy.
	(21) Prices exclude any retrospective bonuses made by purchasers. Provisional from 2004 onwards.
	(22) Prices include any retrospective bonuses made by purchasers. Provisional from 2004 onwards.
	Sources: Eurostat (1970 to 1994), from Milk Marketing Board statistics Defra, SEERAD and DARD (1995 onwards).including bonus pay.

Poultry Farming

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance her Department has issued to poultry farmers about making preparations to comply with any future instruction to contain their poultry under cover; what financial assistance her Department is making available to assist poultry farmers to comply with such an instruction; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has issued guidance, agreed with industry representatives, to keepers on how they might comply with a requirement to keep their birds separate from wild birds, where practicable.
	The guidance can be found on the Defra website at: http://defraweb/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/pdf/separating.pdf
	There are no plans to provide financial assistance to poultry farmers or others who might be required to separate their birds from wild birds as a result of a threat or the event of an outbreak of avian influenza.

Racehorses (Whipping)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect of whipping on racehorses; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: My Department has not evaluated or commissioned any research on the effect of whipping racehorses.

Rights of Way

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) byways and (b) bridleways have been added to the definitive map in England and Wales since the enactment of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 as a result of (i) a statement of action in a Rights of Way Improvement Plan and (ii) a Definitive Map Modification Order under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Jim Knight: holding answer 12 December 2005
	It is unlikely that any byways or bridleways have been added to the definitive map in England and Wales as a result of a statement of action in a Rights of Way Improvement Plan. These plans do not need to be completed until November 2007.
	The majority of authorities have begun work on a plan, but only three have completed their planCambridgeshire county council, Devon county council and the City of York. These plans have only recently been adopted and have not, as yet, resulted in any new byways or bridleways being added to the definitive map.
	Information about the total number of Definitive Map Modification Orders under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is not collected by DEFRA. This information is held by local highway authorities and could be gathered only at a disproportionate cost.

Rights of Way

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what total area of land has been dedicated for equestrian access under section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

Jim Knight: holding answer 12 December 2005
	No landowners in England have yet dedicated land for horse riding under section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. However, I have recently approved a 1.2 million Countryside Agency research project which will explore and demonstrate how the dedication mechanism can be used to improve public access to the countryside. The project will raise awareness of dedication as well as deliver a number of actual dedications. Most dedications are likely to be for access on foot, but the agency will encourage landowners to consider dedicating suitable land for access by horse riders.
	Access for horse riders features strongly in the Strategy for the Horse Industry in England and Wales, which I launched last week, and I am keen to explore with the horse industry a wide range of ways in which opportunities for safe, off-road riding can be increased.

Waterways (Moorings/Marina Berths)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions British Waterways has had with the British Marine Federation on disputes over the provision of moorings and marina berths alongside waterways; and if she will set up a protocol to deal with such disputes.

Jim Knight: holding answer 12 December 2005
	This is an operational matter for British Waterways. However, I recently met its Chairman who confirmed that both he and his executives have had a number of discussions with the President of the British Marine Federation and its executives to explore their differing views on the interpretation of competition law in respect of British Waterways' marina operations. British Waterways has developed a protocol and put in place a wide range of processes and procedures to demonstrate that its marina subsidiary is operating within the law. There still remain differences of opinion which both sides are working to resolve.

Winter Snowfall (Worcester)

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the predicted total winter snowfall in Worcester is for (a) 2010, (b) 2020, (c) 2030 and (d) 2050.

Don Touhig: I have been asked to reply.
	During the 21st century, snowfall is expected to decrease over the United Kingdom as a whole. This is a consequence of further warming of climate expected as a result of past and future emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols into the atmosphere. However, the predicted changes vary with location, and are subject to considerable uncertainties arising from the natural variability of climate, errors in the representation of physical processes in climate models, and uncertainties in future emissions. Therefore, it is possible that some parts of the UK could experience periods of increased snowfall during the next few decades. During the second half of the century, however, snowfall is very likely to be lower than at present, in all parts of the country.
	For Worcester, the latest climate model predictions are expressed as percentage changes relative to the climate of the past 30 years. The predictions show a wide range of possible values, due to the uncertainties previously noted. For a typical year around 2010, snowfall could range from about 15 per cent. above the recent recorded levels to about 30 per cent. below. For 2020, values range from a 10 per cent. increase to a 35 per cent. reduction. For 2030, values range from a five per cent increase to a 40 per cent. reduction. For 2050, values range from a five per cent reduction to a 60 per cent. reduction. Within these ranges, the best estimates are for reductions of about five per cent, 10 per cent, 20 per cent. and 30 per cent. at 2010, 2020, 2030 and 2050 respectively.

TRANSPORT

Airspace (Extraordinary Rendition)

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers he has to deny access to UK airspace.

Karen Buck: holding answer 12 December 2005
	UK law on civil air operations is governed by the UK's obligations under the Chicago Convention on Civil Aviation 1944. These obligations are translated into UK law principally through the Civil Aviation Act 1982 and the Air Navigation Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/1970).
	Under the Convention, contracting States may for reason of emergency, military necessity or public safety, restrict or prohibit uniformly the aircraft of other States from flying over the whole or part of its territory (Article 9).
	The Convention also provides that scheduled international air services and State aircraft of another contracting State may only fly over or land in UK territory with the permission or authorisation of the UK (Articles 3 and 6),and this can be denied. The UK also requires non-scheduled services where payment is made for carriage, and passengers and cargo are embarked or disembarked, to seek prior permission.
	All other aircraft have the right to land in or to fly across UK territory without the need to obtain prior permission from the UK (Article 5). However, the commander of each aircraft operating in controlled airspace in Europe is required to file a flight plan with Eurocontrol, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation. The flight plan is passed to each air navigation service provider along the route.

Crossrail Project

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the recent progress of the Crossrail Project.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 6 December 2005
	The motion to appoint the Crossrail Bill Select Committee was passed on 5 December, opening the way for the Committee to start its scrutiny of the Bill shortly.
	In preparation for the Committee detailed work is currently under way to consider and, where possible, resolve issues raised by petitioners.
	The Secretary of State has recently published an Access Option Policy Paper which has been sent out for consultation with the rail industry. This sets out the principles by which Crossrail will share the capacity with other traffic on the existing rail network.
	In parallel, a cross-industry timetabling working group is examining the timetable developed for the introduction of Crossrail services.

Driving Test

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average waiting time for a driving test was in the last period for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: The national average waiting time fora practical car driving test was six weeks on 5 December 2005.

EU Rail Regulation

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what additional powers will be granted to the European railway industry as a result of the review of Regulation 881/2004 and Directives (a) 2004/49/EC, (b) 2001/14/EC and (c) 95/18/EC.

Derek Twigg: The Commission has not published any plans to review any of these measures. However, there are a number of proposals under discussion or planned by the EC institutions that involve minor amendments to Regulation 881/2004 and Directives 2004/49/EC and 2001/14/EC. None of these proposals would grant additional powers to the European rail industry. There are no proposals to amend Directive 95/18/EC.

First Great Western

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the (a) reliability and (b) punctuality of First Great Western services between London and Worcestershire in (i) the most recent period for which figures are available and (ii) the equivalent period in the previous year.

Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport does not keep records on the reliability and punctuality of First Great Western services between London and Worcestershire. However, in the year to 30 June 2005, the Public Performance Measure for FGW passenger train services overall was 77.8 per cent.

Highways Agency

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the national targets are for the Highways Agency; and what the performance of its offices in South Devon has been in relation to those targets.

Stephen Ladyman: The national targets for the Highways Agency are as published in its annual business plan and reported to the House on 24 March 2005, Official Report, column 94WS. The Highways Agency is a national organisation and work is divided between its offices in different ways for different functions, to match staff resources and changing work loads. Performance of individual offices is not therefore separately monitored.

Ladbroke Grove Crash

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the implementation of Lord Cullen's recommendations after the Ladbroke Grove crash.

Derek Twigg: On 24 November, the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) published its tenth and final progress report on the recommendations made following recent rail public inquiries, including Lord Cullen's inquiry into the Ladbroke Grove collision. Of the total of 295 recommendations arising form the four public inquiry reports only four recommendations remain to be completed. Work continues on implementing the remaining recommendations.
	HSC's report is available in the House Library and on the Health and Safety Executive's website at: www.hse.gov.uk/railways/railpublic4.pdf.

Leeds Supertram

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his statement of 3 November 2005, Official Report, columns 6062WS, on Leeds supertram, what funding his Department plans to provide for a Leeds rapid bus scheme.

Derek Twigg: We expect to put significant investment into transport in West Yorkshire in the coming years. We are talking to West Yorkshire passenger transport executive about working up proposals for a Leeds rapid bus scheme, and we expect advice on regional priorities in January, so it is too early to say what the funding will be.

Light Rail Systems

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the study into the wider benefits of light rail systems is expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 12 December 2005
	The Department does not currently have a study into the wider benefits of light rail systems or any other single mode.
	The Department published guidance in July 2005 on wider benefits, including agglomeration and increases in employment and productivity, and how they can be appraised (http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_econappr/documents/page/dft_econappr_038893.pdf). The Government intend to test this new approach by asking bids for the Transport Innovation Fund to estimate these wider benefits as part of the appraisal.
	In addition, the benefits arising from additional jobs in regeneration areas can be captured in Economic Impact Reports. These have been submitted alongside appraisals for a number of schemes, including light rail schemes.

Low-carbon Vehicles

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps have been taken under the UK's EU Presidency to encourage vehicle manufacturers to speed up the development of low carbon vehicles.

Stephen Ladyman: The UK Government have made climate change one of the main priorities of its EU and G8 presidencies this year, and has sought wherever possible to highlight the importance of improving the fuel efficiency of vehicles as a way of reducing emissions of carbon dioxide from the transport sector. The communique that was agreed at the G8 Gleneagles summit on 8 July, for example, included a climate change, clean energy and sustainable development action plan. This contained a commitment to a package of measures to encourage the development and uptake of clean, low carbon vehicles. A copy of the full communique text is available at http://www.g8.gov.uk.
	The UK also hosted an international Environmentally Friendly Vehicles (EFV) conference on 1011 November 2005, providing a forum for global dialogue on the promotion and uptake of cleaner, more fuel efficient vehicles. Over 250 delegates from more than 30 countries attended, and the chairman's conclusions, together with copies of the presentations and other supporting material, are available at http://www.livegroup.co.uk/efvc.
	The UK has also been actively involved in the European CARS 21 initiative this year. This has considered ways to encourage further development of low carbon vehicles as part of an integrated approach towards reducing CO 2 emissions in the transport sector.
	Within the UK, we have continued to incentivise the development and uptake of clean, fuel efficient vehicles as set out in our 2002 Powering Future Vehicles Strategy, which is available via the Department for Transport's website. We also launched during 2005 a new system of colour-coded fuel efficiency labels for cars to raise consumer awareness and help boost demand for fuel efficient vehicles. The labels are now in the majority of new car showrooms in the UK.

M6

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average daily volume of traffic was on the M6 motorway in the last period for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: Average daily traffic flows during the 12 months to the end of October 2005 are available at several locations on the M6.
	Flows on the M6 vary according to the location along the motorway. On the first section west of the M1 there are 78,000 vehicles per day (vpd) rising to 129,000 vpd on section 4a-5 in Birmingham and 145,000 vpd on junction 3031 north of Manchester. The lowest levels are in Cumbria, on junction 3839, at 39,000 vpd.
	The two highest flows on the M6 in the Bolton area are 140,500 vpd between junctions 21 and 21 a and 145,000 vpd between junctions 31 and 31a. The lowest is 78,000 vpd between junctions 29 and 30.

Ports (Security)

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Department's review of ports policy will include a comprehensive assessment of security.

Stephen Ladyman: The ports policy review will take account of the security regime at UK ports but will not include a comprehensive assessment of it.

Railways

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding arrangements for the rail network.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 8 December 2005
	There have been frequent discussions with our counterparts in the Treasury. The result is that an unprecedented 87 million a week of public money is being invested in the rail network. A similar sum is being attracted from the private sector.

Railways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much additional funding has been paid to South West Trains for operating the direct services between Bristol and London Waterloo since they took over the service; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: No additional sums have been paid to South West Trains (SWT) in respect of this service. However, the arrangements under which SWT pay back a proportion of revenue and profit to the Department have been adjusted to take account of their operation of Bristol to Waterloo trains. The effect has been to reduce the payment to the Department by 1,068,084 in 200506.

Railways

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on capacity on the rail freight network.

Derek Twigg: The Office of Rail Regulation is responsible for ensuring that track capacity is allocated fairly and efficiently, taking into account the needs of both passenger and freight operators. For the longer term, Network Rail's Utilisation Strategies will establish the capacity available for freight and how it might be developed.
	The amount of freight moved by rail has increased by nearly 60 per cent. since privatisation in 1995. In 200405, 20.7 billion net tonne kilometres of freight was moved on the railway.

Railways

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions South Eastern trains have had with Govia since the award of the Integrated Kent franchise; and what representations he has received on the award since the bidding process began.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 12 December 2005
	The first meeting to discuss the transition between South Eastern Trains and the new franchisee was held on 1 December 2005. These meetings are continuing.
	Around 100 letters about proposed service patterns and other aspects of the Department's franchise specification have been received from MPs, local organisations or councils since January 2004. I have met Kent MPs to discuss these issues. Over the same period, around 1280 letters on the subject of the Integrated Kent Franchise were dealt with by the Strategic Rail Authority, principally from members of the public.
	The Department have also received around 150 letters from MPs, local organisations or councils supported by a postcard campaign, on the related issue of South Eastern Trains being retained in the public sector.

Railways

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the competitive procurement process for the replacement of high speed trains will begin.

Derek Twigg: The Department is committed to developing proposals for new high speed trains. The proposed date for invitations to tender is March 2007.

Speed Cameras

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 29 November 2005, Official Report, column 328W, on speed cameras, for what reasons the number of safety camera partnerships increased between 200001 and 200304; what assessment he has made of whether they have been effective in reducing the number of road traffic injuries; and how the revenue of fines from safety cameras that was not spent on safety measures was spent in each year from 200001 to 200405.

Stephen Ladyman: The increase in the number of safety camera partnerships between 200001 and 200304 was due to the safety camera programme rolling out nationally to all but two police force areas.
	The following independent evaluations have been undertaken for the Department into the effectiveness of the programme and are available in the Library of the House, and on the Department's website:
	A cost recovery system for speed and red-light camerastwo year pilot evaluation 11 February 2003), and
	The national safety camera programmeThree year evaluation report (15 June 2004).
	A fourth-year evaluation report will be published shortly.
	The rules governing the national safety camera programme require surplus revenue to be passed to the Consolidated Fund.

Speed Cameras

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 29 November 2005, Official Report, column 328W, on speed cameras, which independent academics are looking at regression to the mean effect on the statistics relating to the number of accidents on roads with speed cameras; and when he expects their report to be (a) completed and (b) published.

Stephen Ladyman: The fourth year evaluation of the National Safety Camera Programme is being undertaken by the PA Consulting Group and University College London. As part of the evaluation they commissioned Linda Mountain, University of Liverpool, and Mike Maher, Napier University, to assess the effect of regression to the mean. The fourth year report is now complete and will be published shortly.

Traffic Accidents

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were involved in traffic accidents in each of the last five years in (a) England and (b) Forest of Dean constituency; and what the mortality rate was in each year.

Stephen Ladyman: Information on the number of people that were involved in traffic accidents is not available. However, the number of casualties that resulted from personal injury road accidents and the fatality rate per 100,000 population in accidents are given in the table.
	
		
			  (a) Number of casualties(23) (b) Fatalities in personal road injury accidents per 100,000 population 
			  England Parliamentary constituency(24) Forest of Dean England Parliamentary constituency(24)(5508530025) Forest of Dean 
			  Fatal All Fatal All Rate Rate 
		
		
			 2000 2,915 285,721 10 425 5.9 11.9 
			 2001 2,916 279,678 11 474 5.9 13.1 
			 2002 2,980 269,020 9 453 6.0 10.7 
			 2003 3,004 257,899 10 445 6.0 11.9 
			 2004 2,714 248,762 11 477 5.4 13.1 
		
	
	(23) Killed, serious and slightly injured casualties in personal injury road accidents.
	(24) The casualties are those which resulted from personal injury road accidents with the 2004 boundary of the Forest of Dean constituency.
	(25) Mid year 2002 population estimates for the constituency of Forest of Dean has been used to calculate the fatality rate.

Travel (Disability Rights)

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will take steps to extend the coverage of disability discrimination legislation to cover (a) air and (b) sea travel; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if the Department will support the proposed EU regulation on the rights of persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air;
	(3)  what plans the Department has to commence talks with international counterparts on the accessibility of aircraft and airports for disabled people.

Karen Buck: We have said that we will legislate for those modes if the voluntary codes which are currently in place prove ineffective. The provision we made in the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 allowing the exemption in part 3 of the DDA to be lifted for transport services provides us with the legal base.
	With our statutory advisers, the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, we have commissioned research to monitor compliance with the codes. We will have all the results of that work early next year and those will inform our decision on whether to legislate.
	In the meantime during our presidency of the EU we have given priority to the EC proposal on air passenger rights for disabled people and people with reduced mobility. We have made good progress and a draft of the proposal agreed by the Transport Council is due to be considered by the European Parliament in Plenary this week.
	We are also at the heart of discussions on access to air travel for disabled people. The UK chairs the European Conference of Civil Aviation's Facilitation Sub-Group on air travel for people with reduced mobility which promotes good practice in this field.

Trunk Roads/Motorways

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of (a) trunk roads and (b) motorway there are in each local authority; and what estimate he has made of the number of miles of (i) other A roads and (ii) other roads in England.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Consultants

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list departmental projects conducted by consultants in each year since 2000; what the cost was in each case; and what the total cost of employing consultants was in each year.

David Hanson: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Credit Card Fraud

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have been convicted of credit card fraud in each of the last 10 years.

David Hanson: Data for credit card fraud is not available. There are no specific offences relating to fraud using credit cards and it is not possible to determine if a credit card was involved in any fraud and forgery or theft offences.

Crime

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of whether there was paramilitary involvement in the (a) manufacturing and (b) distribution of the viagra-type drugs seized in North Belfast in July.

Shaun Woodward: One individual has been charged with illegal importation of medicinal products and possession with intent to supply in connection with the seizure of a significant quantity of Viagra-type drugs in July. As the matter is sub-judice it would be inappropriate to comment further.

Departmental Building

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects are planned by his Department in (i) 200506 and (ii) 200607; and what the costs will be of each project.

Peter Hain: The Northern Ireland Office and its Agencies currently have 12 building and refurbishments projects underway in the 200506 fiscal year, and 12 planned for 200607. The associated costs can be found in tables 1 and 2 respectively.
	The Northern Ireland Prison Service is currently conducting a review of its longer term estate strategy as part of its strategic development programme. It is likely that decisions on projects for 200607 will be taken both in that context and as a result of maintenance requirements.
	
		Table 1: 200506
		
			 Department/agency Type of work Building name Description Cost (000) 
		
		
			 YJA Building Youth Justice Services Omagh New Office take in Omagh for Community Services and Youth Conferencing 450 
			 YJA Building Embassy Buildings New Office take in Londonderry for Community Services 250 
			 YJA Building Youth Justice Services Larne New Office take in Larne for Community Services 210 
			 YJA Building Youth Justice Services Coleraine Replacement premises in Coleraine for Community Services 150 
			 Compensation Agency Renovation Royston House Refurbishment of 2nd floor into open plan offices 98 
			 NIPS Renovation Hydebank Young Offender Centre and Prison Provision of in-cell sanitation and safer cell furniture 1,300 
			 NIO Building Knockview Cabling Infrastructure for IT and restructuring of rooms. 125 
			 NIO Building Stormont House annexe Restructuring of office space 20 
			 NIO Renovation Stormont House Bungalow Repair of Storm damage 22 
			 NIO Renovation Massey House New ceiling tiles, repaint and new carpet in corridors 104 
			 NIO New Build Not Known Juvenile Justice Centre 6,800 
			 NIO Renovation Hillsborough Castle Major Refurbishment of Minor wing 105 
		
	
	Note:
	Type of work 'Building' above refers to leasing of building.
	
		Table 2: 200607
		
			 Dept/agency Type of work Building name Description Cost (000) 
		
		
			 YJA Building Not yet known Replacement premises in Ballymena for Community Services and Youth Conf (26)450 
			 YJA Building Not yet known New Office take in Limavady for Community Services (26)200 
			 YJA Building Not yet known New Office take in Strabane for Community Services (26)250 
			 YJA Building Merchants Quay Replacement premises in Newry for Community Services and Youth Conf (26)200 
			 YJA Building Embassy Buildings New Office take in Londonderry for Youth Conferencing (26)250 
			 YJA Building Not yet known Replacement premises in Newtownards for Community services (26)90 
			 YJA Building Not yet known New office in Lisburn for Community services (26)100 
			 YJA Building Not yet known Replacement premises in Belfast for Community Services (Westside project) (26)100 
			 NIO New Build Not Known New Mortuary (26)3,500 
			 NIO New Build Not Known New Forensic Laboratory and Offices (26)25,000 
			 NIO New Build Not Known Juvenile Justice Centre 1,000 
			 NIO Building Stormont House Refurbishment of Stormont House. Planning still at concept no estimate of cost. n/k 
		
	
	n/k = not known.
	(26) Estimated Costs Only.
	Note:
	Type of work 'Building' above refers to leasing of building.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff in his Department have been relocated into London and the South East in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Shaun Woodward: There has been no relocation of Northern Ireland Office staff into London and the South East in the last five years.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to relocate staff in his Department and related agencies into London and the South East.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office has no plans to relocate any staff into London and the South East.

Integrated Schools

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of development proposals for new integrated schools in relation to their impact on established (a) controlled and (b) maintained schools within the same catchment areas.

Angela Smith: In reaching decisions on proposals for new integrated schools the Department of Education must consider a number of factors including the projected enrolments for the proposed schools and the potential impact on neighbouring schools. The development proposal process provides the opportunity for all schools in the surrounding area to comment on the proposal and the comments are considered by the Department before decisions on new schools are made.

Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations have been made by the Human Rights Commission to the Government on issues that would fall under its remit in connection with the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill.

David Hanson: I discussed the proposals in the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill at a meeting with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The Commission offered to write to me following their consideration of the Bill.

Police Officers (Sickness)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police officers in Northern Ireland on average were off work as a result of sickness at any one time in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: A chart showing the number of police officers off work as a result of sickness since April 2000 to December has been placed in the Library.

Police Officers (Sickness)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Police Service of Northern Ireland officers are on long-term sick leave.

Shaun Woodward: The PSNI defines long-term sick absence as 28 days.
	The number of Police Service of Northern Ireland officers on long-term sick absence as at 7 December 2005 was 276.

Police Officers (Sickness)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police officers in Northern Ireland have completed a period of sick leave of more than 30 days in each of the last 10 years.

Shaun Woodward: Due to the way this information was recorded, figures prior to 200102 could only be retrieved disproportionate to cost. The number of police officers in Northern Ireland who were on sick leave for a period of more than 30 days since the financial year 200102 is as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Number of absence over 30 days 
		
		
			 200102 2,096 
			 200203 1,417 
			 200304 1,006 
			 200405 1,123 
			 200506 (to date) 863

Postal Voting

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to reform the postal voting system in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: The Electoral Administration Bill, currently before Parliament, includes measures that relate to applications for postal and proxy voting. In particular the Bill will make it a criminal offence to apply for a postal or proxy vote with the intention of stealing another person's vote or gaining a vote to which the applicant is not entitled. These measures will extend to Northern Ireland.

Schools (Weapon Confiscation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) knives, (b) guns and (c) other weapons were confiscated in schools in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: The Department of Education does not collect the information requested. The Department collects statistics on the reasons why pupils are suspended from school but the current categorisation does not enable specific identification of those pupils who were suspended for carrying an offensive weapon.

Prosecutions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland were prosecuted for shoplifting in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: Table 1 provides figures for the number prosecuted for shoplifting between 1999 and 2003. Data beyond 2003 will become available in early 2006.
	
		Table 1: Prosecutions for shoplifting 19992003
		
			  Number of prosecutions 
		
		
			 1999 709 
			 2000 858 
			 2001 730 
			 2002 669 
			 2003 674 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are based on the principal rule, thus only the most serious offence for which an offender is charged is recorded.

Prosecutions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in how many cases of shoplifting files were sent to the Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service and were subsequently returned recommending no prosecution in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	The information sort is not available in the form requested. The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) does not differentiate cases of shoplifting from other offences of theft. Further, until the commencement of the PPS in June of this year, virtually all minor offences dealt with in the magistrates court were prosecuted by the police. That continues to be the case in those areas of Northern Ireland which are not yet covered by the new service.

Prosecutions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in how many cases of indecent exposure files were sent to the Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service and were returned recommending no prosecution in each of the last 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply. 
	The information is not available in the form requested. Indecent exposure may only be tried in the magistrates court. Until the commencement of the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in June of this year, virtually all minor offences dealt with in the magistrates court were prosecuted by the police and files for this offence would not normally have been sent to the DPP. That continues to be the case in those areas of Northern Ireland which are not yet covered by the new service.

Prosecutions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have been fined for non-wearing of seat belts in the last 10 years.

Shaun Woodward: The information requested is provided in the following table. The earliest figures available are from 1 October 1997.
	
		
			  Number of fines 
		
		
			 1997 (from 1 October) 973 
			 1998 6,381 
			 1999 8,626 
			 2000 8,255 
			 2001 10,522 
			 2002 9,804 
			 2003 18,189 
			 2004 21,092 
			 2005 (to date) 15,715

Republican Violence Arrests

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many arrests were made in relation to Republican violence in (a) Ardoyne and (b) Dunloy on 12 July.

Shaun Woodward: The information is as follows:
	To date:
	Ardoyne
	23 charged with riotous assembly and four with Obstructive sitting.
	Dunloy
	No arrests, but DCU Commander advises he anticipates reporting up to 26 people to the PPS for various public order offences.

Road Traffic Accidents

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) road traffic accidents and (b) fatal road traffic accidents there have been in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years where the major contributory factor has been (i) speed, (ii) excess alcohol and (iii) failure to maintain the vehicle.

Shaun Woodward: The information requested is contained in the following tables:
	
		Injury road traffic collisions due to excessive speed
		
			 Number 
			  1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Total 
		
		
			 Fatal collision 22 23 40 35 32 36 36 36 29 23 312 
			 Serious collision 211 217 232 202 208 225 237 225 149 161 2,067 
			 Slight collision 730 746 787 788 767 709 631 582 508 389 6,637 
			 Total 963 986 1,059 1,025 1,007 970 904 843 686 573 9,016 
		
	
	
		Injury road traffic collisions due to alcohol or drugsl
		
			 Number 
			  1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Total 
		
		
			 Fatal collision 32 33 43 28 32 45 37 34 37 31 352 
			 Serious collision 109 107 123 135 104 125 123 127 116 89 1,158 
			 Slight collision 277 295 344 350 377 395 331 322 280 238 3,209 
			 Total 418 435 510 513 513 565 491 483 433 358 4,719 
		
	
	(27) Figures include alcohol/drugsdriver/rider, alcohol/drugspedestrian and alcohol/drugspassenger.
	
		Injury road traffic collisions due to failure to maintain vehicle(28)
		
			 Number 
			  1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Total 
		
		
			 Fatal collision 2 1 2 1 1  2 1 1 1 12 
			 Serious collision 5 7 12 2 7 5 4 4 2 1 49 
			 Slight collision 18 31 18 26 19 26 22 22 13 17 212 
			 Total 25 39 32 29 27 31 28 27 16 19 273 
		
	
	(28) Failure to maintain vehicle is comprised of the following factors: defective brakes, defective steering/suspension, defective front lights, defective rear lights and defective tyres.

Roads Service

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what penalty clauses are normally included as part of Roads Service contracts.

Shaun Woodward: The chief executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
	Letter from Malcolm McKibbin, dated 13 December 2005
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding what penalty clauses are normally included as part of Roads Service contracts.
	I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
	Penalty clauses are not included in Roads Service contracts as a means of recovering damages, as they are not enforceable in law. Where a loss is incurred through the failure of a contractor to fulfil their obligations under a contract, redress is sought through a liquidated damages clause. The amount included in a liquidated damages clause is a genuine pre-estimate, at the time of the issue of tender documents, of the loss that will be incurred in the event of a breach of contract.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Alcohol Sales (Under-age Children)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) publicans and (b) off licence proprietors in Northern Ireland have been (i) prosecuted for and (ii) convicted of selling alcohol to underage children in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: It is not possible to identify separately prosecutions brought against publicans and off licence proprietors. The prosecutions and convictions included in Table 1 are for the offences of 'selling intoxicating liquor to a minor' and 'licensee selling intoxicating liquor to a minor'.
	Figures are provided for 1999 to 2003. Data beyond 2003 will become available in early 2006.
	
		Table 1: Prosecutions and convictions for selling alcohol to a minor 19992003
		
			  Number of prosecutions Number of convictions 
		
		
			 1999 0 0 
			 2000 3 2 
			 2001 1 0 
			 2002 4 2 
			 2003 5 3 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are based on the principal rule, thus only the most serious offence for which an offender is charged is recorded.

Speed Cameras

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much revenue has been generated in Northern Ireland by speed cameras in each of the last 10 years.

Shaun Woodward: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for South Antrim (Dr. McCrea) on 3 November 2005, Official Report, column 1381W, which advised that figures were only available from 2001 and detailed the revenue raised by speed cameras in each year since then.

Teachers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State forNorthern Ireland how many teachers in Northern Ireland left the profession in the last five years after(a) less than 10 years and (b) between 10 and 15 years.

Angela Smith: The information is as follows.
	
		Number of teachers in Northern Ireland who have left the profession in Northern Ireland after (a) less than 10 years and (b) between 10 and 15 years
		
			  Number of teachers 
		
		
			 Less than 10 years 932 
			 Between 10 and 15 years 102 
			 Total 1,034 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The figures supplied are based on permanent teachers employed in primary and secondary schools in Northern Ireland since April 1987 who left the profession after (a) less than 10 years and (b) between 10 and 15 years.
	2. Excludes teachers who commenced service on or before 1 April 1987.
	3. Excludes teachers with a retirement indicator against their record.
	4. Excludes substitute/temporary and part-time teachers and those employed in voluntary grammar and FE colleges.
	5. Service has been calculated from pay history, on the basis of permanent pay type only and excludes any periods that a teacher was on unpaid leave.

Arlene Arkinson

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to extend the remit of the forensic expert in Northern Ireland in relation to the recovery of the disappeared to include recovery of the remains of Arlene Arkinson.

Shaun Woodward: The Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) has in place a comprehensive search strategy as part of the overall investigation into the murder of Arlene Arkinson. The Chief Constable will ensure that the resources required to properly conduct the investigation are in place. Should the PSNI believe that any expert or specialist could add value to the investigation they will, of course, be considered.

University Students (Science)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students attending university in Northern Ireland have studied a science subject in each of the last 10 years, broken down by subject.

Angela Smith: The following table provides enrolments on science courses at NI Higher Education institutions from 199495 to 200304.
	
		
			  199495 199596 199697 199798 199899 
		
		
			 Medicine and Dentistry 1,194 1,213 1,176 1,202 1,233 
			 Subjects allied to Medicine 3,445 2,944 3,332 4,949 6,103 
			   
			 Biological Sciences  
			 Biology 626 742 701 749 646 
			 Other Biological sciences 1,627 1,760 1,719 1,793 1,752 
			   
			 Veterinary Science, Agriculture and related subjects 384 364 394 438 541 
			   
			 Physical Sciences  
			 Chemistry 315 368 358 306 219 
			 Physics 241 223 207 229 197 
			 Other Physical Sciences 1,003 1,057 985 1,052 1,037 
			   
			 Mathematical Sciences 468 503 468 468 449 
			 Computer Science 1,799 1,955 2,165 2,589 2,867 
			 Engineering and Technology 2,828 2,613 2,723 2,605 2,404 
			 Architecture, Building and Planning 1,079 1,357 1,314 1,306 1,327 
			 Total 15,009 15,099 15,542 17,686 18,775 
		
	
	
		
			  19992000 200001 200102 200203 200304 
		
		
			 Medicine and Dentistry 1,261 1,315 1,323 1,324 1,337 
			 Subjects allied to Medicine 6,205 6,329 6,701 7,824 8,693 
			   
			 Biological Sciences  
			 Biology 542 469 533 484 472 
			 Other Biological sciences 1,795 1,736 1,689 2,240 2,222 
			   
			 Veterinary Science, Agriculture and related subjects 408 413 395 323 406 
			   
			 Physical Sciences  
			 Chemistry 203 183 160 179 197 
			 Physics 176 151 184 190 208 
			 Other Physical Sciences 1,023 1,067 1,069 1,035 1,106 
			   
			 Mathematical Sciences 456 415 363 386 377 
			 Computer Science 3,205 3,511 3,685 4,139 3,789 
			 Engineering and Technology 2,236 2,352 2,434 2,840 2,760 
			 Architecture, Building and Planning 1,407 1,350 1,387 1,508 1,773 
			 Total 18,917 19,291 19,923 22,473 23,340 
		
	
	A new subject coding system was introduced for the 200203 academic year in which single enrolments are split over one or more subject groups reflecting the programme of study. Comparisons between 200203, 200304 and previous years is therefore not recommended. For comparability over the 10 years, figures are based on a snapshot of enrolments at 1 December within the academic year.
	Information on full-year enrolments on all higher education courses at NI institutions is available to view at: http://www.delni.gov.uk/index.cfm/area/information/page/SRHEEnrolments.

Vehicle Check Points

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many vehicle checks points the police set up in each month of 2005.

Shaun Woodward: The Police Service of Northern Ireland does not record the number of vehicle checkpoints conducted.

DEFENCE

Al-Jamiyat Prison

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Royal Military Police are investigating alleged human rights abuses at the al-Jamiyat prison.

Adam Ingram: The Royal Military Police are not investigating alleged human rights abuses at the al-Jamiyat prison. We have impressed upon the Iraqi authorities the importance of investigating prisoner abuse, wherever it is alleged to have occurred.

Anthrax Vaccines

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research has been commissioned on the effects on British forces of anthrax vaccines.

Don Touhig: A research project published under the title Adverse Medical Events in British Service Personnel Following the Anthrax Vaccination (J. Enstone, M. Wale, J. Nguyen-Van-Tarn  J. PearsonVaccine 2003, 21:13481354) was funded by the Ministry of Defence and endorsed by the Advisory Group on Medical Countermeasures. The MOD had no editorial input into the conduct, methodology or findings of this studythe editorial rights to the study belong to the University of Nottingham Medical School. The study concluded that the anthrax vaccine is a safe vaccine with minimal side effects.
	The anthrax vaccine is a MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) licensed medical product and therefore fully satisfies the responsible UK regulatory body in matters of vaccine safety and efficacy.

Armed Forces (Morale)

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of morale in the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: holding answer 12 December 2005
	The most recent Continuous Attitude Surveys, conducted by the Services in 2004 and 2005, show the following responses on morale:
	
		Percentage
		
			  Royal Navy Officers Royal Navy Ratings Royal Marine Officers Royal Marine Other Ranks 
		
		
			 Good and Very Good 58.3 43.8 78.2 63.9 
			 Average 28.8 31.9 17.4 21.8 
			 Poor and Very Poor 12.9 22.8 4.3 13.2 
			 Unanswered  1.4  1.0 
		
	
	
		Percentage
		
			  Army Officers Army Other Ranks RAF Officers RAF Air men/women 
		
		
			 High and Very High 69 57 49 41 
			 Neither High nor Low 22 25 31 32 
			 Low and Very Low 10 18 20 27 
		
	
	The latest Survey was published in October 2005 and is available on the MOD Freedom of Information website. Copies are also held in the Library of the House.
	Ministers and Chiefs of Staff remain fully committed to maintaining and improving morale in all the Services.

Army Regiments

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on renaming Army regiments; and when he expects the process to be completed.

Adam Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 24 November 2005, Official Report, column 129WS, which gives details of all the new infantry titles and formation arrangements.

Asian Earthquake

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) agencies and (b) other Governments using helicopters provided by his Department for relief work in the wake of the recent earthquake in Pakistan and Kashmir have been charged for this use.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 12 December 2005
	No other Governments or agencies have been, or will be, charged for using the three RAF Chinook helicopters deployed to Pakistan to support the earthquake relief effort.

British Armed Forces (Fijians)

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Fijians serving in the British armed forces have been absent without leave in the last 12 months.

Don Touhig: holding answer 12 December 2005
	There were approximately 10 trained Regular Army personnel whose nationality at birth is recorded as Fijian and who were reported as having gone long-term absent without leave during the period 1 October 2004 to 30 September 2005. In the same period none of the serving Fijians in the Royal Air Force were recorded as having gone long-term absent without leave. It is not possible to provide the equivalent figures for the Royal Navy as the figures are not held centrally.
	The records for those who have been absent without leave for a short period of time (less than 21 days) are not held in such a way as to allow a nationality to be cross checked with those absent without leave without incurring disproportionate cost.

British Troop Deaths (Iraq)

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops have been (a) killed and (b) injured in the war with Iraq.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 5 December 2005
	As at 5 December 2005, a total of 98 British Service personnel have died while serving on Operation TELIC since the start of the campaign in March 2003.
	Of these, 75 are known to have been killed as a result of hostile action, and 23 are either known to have died as a result of illness, accident or from other non-combat injuries, or have not yet been officially assigned a cause of death pending the outcomes of ongoing coroners investigations into the circumstances pertaining to these deaths.
	The total number of UK personnel admitted to Shaibah Field hospital and classified as wounded in action (WIA) is 189. A larger number have, however, sustained non battle injuries or succumbed to illness whilst serving in Iraq.

Building/Refurbishment Projects

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects are planned by his Department in (i) 200506 and (ii) 200607; and what the expected costs are of each project.

Don Touhig: The information requested is currently being obtained from a number of separate sources and will take a little time to collate. I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

C17 Aircraft

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to lease more C17 aircraft.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has no plans to lease additional C-17 aircraft.

Colchester Garrison

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision has been made for a permanent church building as part of the new Colchester Garrison.

Don Touhig: It is the Ministry of Defence's intention to maintain a church within Colchester Garrison, in the first instance by converting an existing building. The relevant plans have been lodged with Colchester borough council.

Commonwealth Second World War Veterans

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures his Department plans to take to assist Commonwealth Second World War veterans; and if he will make a grant to the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Service League.

Don Touhig: The Government recognises the sacrifices of those from Commonwealth nations who supported the allied effort in World War II and has publicised this through the 'We Were There' exhibition and its schools programme. However, it has been the policy of successive Governments over many years that Departments do not contribute public funds to individual charities in this way.

Deepcut Barracks

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of the Media Facilitation Day at Deepcut Barracks on 26 October, broken down by main budget heading; if he will list the media organisations represented at the event; and how much press coverage resulted, broken down by (a) newspaper column inches and (b) broadcast minutes on (i) television and (ii) radio.

Adam Ingram: The open day for the media event at Deepcut on 26 October incurred no additional costs to those that would have otherwise been incurred in the running of that part of the Defence College of Logistics.
	Information detailing press coverage is not available in the format requested. The open day featured in news bulletins on BBC News, BBC News 24, BBC London News, Sky News and Radio Five; was reported on by The Times and The Telegraph; was covered by internal Garrison Radio broadcasts and the MOD's in-house FOCUS magazine; and was reported on by a range of regional media.
	A list of the media organisations who registered to attend the event are presented in the following list.
	BBC
	European Pressphoto
	The Irish World
	MoD Focus Magazine
	The Evening Standard
	The Times
	The Telegraph
	The Independent
	ITV (Wales)
	Camberley News
	London Tonight
	Meridian
	PA
	BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat
	Garrison Radio
	News of the World
	Sunday Mirror
	Jane's Defence Weekly
	ITN
	Sky News
	Southern News
	Getty Images
	INS Newsgroup

Deepcut Barracks

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the defined objectives for the Media Facilitation Day at Deepcut Barracks on 26 October.

Adam Ingram: Media open days at a range of Defence training establishments, including at the Defence College of Logistics, Deepcut, aim to explain to the public how the Services train their recruits and to explain the duty of care and welfare support provided to trainees.

Defence Headquarters

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to collocate RAF HQ Strike Command and HQ Personnel and Training Command; and how he intends to announce his plans.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 8 December 2005
	I refer the hon. Member to my written statement of 16 June 2005, Official Report, column 22WS. Following completion of the Trade Union consultation, the staff affected and Members in the immediate localities, were informed that my decision remained unchanged.

Departmental Call Centres

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many call centres were run by his Department and its agencies in (a) 200304, (b) 200405 and (c) 200506 to date; and how many and what proportion of calls (i) were handled by an adviser, (ii) were received but abandoned and (iii) received an engaged tone in each year.

Don Touhig: There are a number of internal 'help desk' points within the Ministry of Defence but details are not held centrally and information could be collated only at disproportionate cost and effort. Inquiries indicate that the Department does not operate any public facing 'call centres' within the accepted definition.

Dr. Dafydd Alun Jones

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his colleagues in the Welsh Assembly Government regarding the funding of the work carried out by Doctor Dafydd Alun Jones.

Don Touhig: I have had no such discussions.

Helmand, Afghanistan

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written statement of 14 November 2005, Official Report, columns 4142WS, on the international security assistance force, what his most recent assessment is of the security situation in the Province of Helmand, Afghanistan; and whether there have been (a) US and (b) allied casualties in that Province since the invasion in 2001.

Adam Ingram: The security situation in the south of Afghanistan is more challenging than in the ISAF's current area of operation. The Taliban are still active in the area, as are drug traffickers.
	While United States casualties are a matter for the US, we are aware of three US casualties (but no other allied casualties) in Helmand Province.

Inquests

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many inquests remain to be heard in relation to members of Her Majesty's armed forces who lost their lives as a result of military duties in Iraq (a) since 2003 in total, (b) in 2004 and (c) in 2005; and in how many cases an inquest has not been concluded a year after death.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 8 December 2005
	Since 2003 a total of 98 British personnel have lost their lives in support of Operation Telic with 70 inquests still outstanding.
	In 2004, 22 British Military personnel lost their lives with 15 inquests still outstanding
	As at 7 December 2005, 23 British Military personnel have died during 2005; all inquests remain outstanding.
	A total of 65 inquests have not been concluded a year after death.
	The Coroner is under remit to conduct an independent inquest into reported deaths of a violent, natural or unknown cause, including those of military personnel. The Ministry of Defence continues to assist the Coroner as necessary.

Iraq

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Iraqis have been (a) detained by UK forces in each month since March 2003 and (b) convicted in Iraqi courts of offences connected to insurgent activity since March 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 15 November 2005
	Iraqis detained by UK forces are either criminal detainees or security internees. Criminal detainees are transferred as soon as practically possible into Iraqi custody on their detention by UK forces, usually within eight hours. Security internees are detained and then held at the Divisional Temporary Detention Facility (DTDF) at Shaibah.
	The table gives a monthly breakdown of the number of internees entering the DTDF from its opening in December 2003 to the present. Once security internees are no longer judged to be an imperative threat to security they are released. There are currently 35 internees in the DTDF.
	Before the DTDF was opened, security internees detained by UK forces were transferred into US custody at Camp Bucca. In total, around 1,000 individuals detained by UK forces were interned at Camp Bucca. We do not hold a monthly breakdown for this period.
	We do not have a record of the number of Iraqis convicted in Iraqi courts. This is a matter for the Iraqis.
	The Ministry of Defence does not keep any record of the number of Iraqis convicted in Iraqi courts of offences connected to insurgent activity since March 2003. This is a matter for the Iraqi Ministry of Justice.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2004  
			 January 31 
			 February 19 
			 March 9 
			 April 63 
			 May 45 
			 June 25 
			 July 3 
			 August 7 
			 September 10 
			 October 1 
			 November 3 
			 December 16 
			   
			 2005  
			 January 11 
			 February 3 
			 March 0 
			 April 0 
			 May 1 
			 June 3 
			 July 1 
			 August 1 
			 September 3 
			 October 13 
			 November 0 
			 Total number interned 263

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when armed services personnel were first informed that members of the Royal Military Police had been taken hostage in Majar-al-Kabir; and what assessment was made at that time of the prospects of a successful rescue operation.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 12 December 2005
	I refer the hon. Member to the written statement made on 17 November 2004, Official Report, columns 9091WS by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Geoffrey Hoon).
	An Army Board of Inquiry examined the circumstances leading up to the deaths of the six Royal Military Policemen in Al Majarr Al Kabir. Details of what actions were taken when it first became known that there were members of the coalition force in the police station are contained within the Board's Opinion, Findings and Recommendations, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House in November 2004.

Kenya (Military Training)

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made on securing the future of military training facilities in Kenya.

Adam Ingram: Detailed negotiations about the continuation of British Army training in Kenya and the adjustment of restrictions placed on that training are being led by the British high commissioner in Nairobi. However, as a result of the recent referendum in Kenya we anticipate a delay in the proceedings while new members of the Cabinet are appointed. In the meantime, the current memorandum of understanding between the two Governments, which expired in December 2004, has been extended to allow the British Army to continue to conduct training in Kenya.

Military Establishments (Wales)

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) acreage and (b) purpose is of each military (i) establishment and (ii) site in Wales; and what plans he has to dispose of establishments and sites in Wales.

Don Touhig: The defence estate in Wales comprises approximately 23,077 hectares. Tables providing details of operational Ministry of Defence (MOD) sites in Wales with areas in hectares and indicative uses have been placed in the Library of the House.
	Sites presently in disposal in Wales are Kinmel Park (5.91 hectares), Llanbedr (229.95 hectares), RAF Sealand (100 hectares), land adjacent to Hayston Farm at Castlemartin (1.21 hectares) and Poor Wood at Caerwent Training Area (11.13 hectares).
	A snapshot of surplus defence land and property currently listed for disposal is available in the Library of the House. The need to retain land and property is continually reviewed. A revised list is currently being prepared and will be placed in the Library by the end of the year. This will include details of all disposals which have been confirmed.

Naval Pensions

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals would currently qualify for a full naval pension if they had retired after 31 March 1975 but do not qualify because they retired before that date with fewer than 22 years of pensionable service.

Don Touhig: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Overseas Military Bases

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British armed forces personnel are stationed at British military bases abroad, broken down by country.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is contained in Tri Service Publication 6, Global Location of UK Regular Forces (TSP 6).
	TSP 6 is published quarterly; the most recent publication shows the numbers of Service personnel at 1 July 2005.
	Copies of TSP 6 are available in the Library of the House and also available on www.dasa.mod.uk.

Parliamentary Question

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to answer Question reference 23306 tabled by the hon. Member for Yeovil.

Don Touhig: I replied to the hon. Member today.

Royal Irish Regiment

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason members of the Royal Irish Regiment were refused permission to wear uniform for the annual laying of wreaths on the morning of Remembrance Sunday, 13 November, in the Castlederg area of west Tyrone; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: As a result of a review of Regimental policy on Memorials, Rolls of Honour and Books of Remembrance it was decided that the Royal Irish Regiment should only be represented at and take part in acts of remembrance at national and principal sites of remembrance in Northern Ireland. Where this happened, including in Tyrone, the Royal Irish Regiment paraded in uniform.
	Where individual members of the Regiment carried out an act of remembrance, for the most part in conjunction with members of the local Ulster Defence Regiment Associations, for security reasons it was deemed necessary that they should not wear uniform.

Stevens Express Leasing

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates aircraft registered in the US by Stevens Express Leasing have landed at military UK airfields in each of the last five years.

Adam Ingram: The information requested could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Thermobaric Weapons

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on (a) the procurement and (b) the deployment of thermobaric weapons; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 5 December 2005
	The UK does not possess, and has no plans to procure, so-called thermobaric weapons.

Underwater Storage

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the Checkmate underwater storage system devised by International Underwater Storage Ltd of Balcombe, West Sussex.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has given the Checkmate system careful consideration. However, at present we have no requirement for it. The threat that might be posed by a system like Checkmate has also been assessed.

US Air Force

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State forDefence what the arrangements are under which the US Air Force operates in the United Kingdom; and whether there is a legal agreement covering those arrangements.

Adam Ingram: The presence of the United States Visiting Force (USVF) in the United Kingdom is at the invitation of the UK Government. The legal basis for the USVF's UK presence is primarily the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) of 1951 and the Visiting Forces Act of 1952. These establish the legal status of the USVF and its personnel in the UK and help to maintain the relationship that exists between the UK and the US for the purposes of our common defence.

US-registered Aircraft

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions since 1 January 2001 US-registered aircraft tail number (a) N44982, formerly N8068V and N379P, and (b) N313P operated in UK military airspace.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 12 December 2005
	Civil aircraft are not permitted to operate in the areas of reserved airspace allocated to the Ministry of Defence by the Civil Aviation Authority.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Broadcasting (Illegal Jamming)

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether any aid and development provided by (a) the UK and (b) the European Union to Libya is (i) dependent and (ii) conditional on broadcasting access to the country unimpeded by official agencies in accordance with the UN's International Telecommunications Union Agency's agreements and treaty provisions; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: None of the UK's or EC's development assistance to Libya is dependent or conditional on unimpeded broadcasting access to the country.
	The UK provides funding to Libya under the Global Opportunities Fund and the Global Conflict Prevention Pool. Under the Global Opportunities Fund in 200506, the UK is providing 200,000 to fund projects related to the rule of law and good governance. Under the Global Conflict Prevention Pool, in the same period, 285,000 will fund projects aimed at building mutual confidence between the UK and Libya. This includes educational exchanges, the training of Libyan officers in the UK and closer military liaison.
	The EC does not have a direct bilateral programme with Libya. However, it will provide 1 million for an HIV/AIDS package over the next year.

CDC/Actis Capital

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list CDC/Actis Capital-funded (a) new investments and (b) disposals in (i) agribusiness, (ii) telecoms, (iii) infrastructure, (iv) minerals, oil and gas, (v) financial institutions, (vi) education and health sectors, (vii) retail and (viii) energy in each year since 1999, broken down by country.

Hilary Benn: I have arranged for the document entitled, List of CDC's New Investments and Disposals 19992004, which gives the information requested, to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Central Asia

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State forInternational Development how much UK bilateral aid he expects will be allocated to (a) Kyrgyzstan, (b) Tajikistan, (c) Uzbekistan, (d) Armenia, (e) Georgia and (f) Moldova between 200506 and 200708.

Gareth Thomas: For the financial year 200506, UK bilateral aid allocations are as follows:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 (a) Kyrgyzstan: 5.6 million 
			 (b) Tajikistan: 3 million 
			 (c) Uzbekistan: 750,000 
			 (d) Armenia: 3.2 million 
			 (e) Georgia: 3 million 
			 (f) Moldova: 2.5 million 
		
	
	We have also committed 50,000 to Azerbaijan to support the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and 30,000 to Kazakhstan for residual activities, following the closure of our bilateral programme there earlier this year.
	In addition to this, the UK is providing 4.52 million of bilateral aid through a regional programme in Central Asia to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS.
	DFID's total planning figures for these countries are 20 million for 200607 and 22.5 million for 200708. Specific country allocations for those years are currently being finalised.

Corporate Responsibility

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on his policies to promote corporate responsibility among UK companies operating abroad.

Gareth Thomas: The Government encourages the highest standards of business behaviour by UK companies wherever they operate, locally, regionally and internationally.
	Our priority is to ensure that UK companies operating in developing countries should be accountable to the Government and citizens of those countries. At the local level, DFID recognises that, in many developing countries, the systems for monitoring and regulating business activity are weak. We provide support to countries' efforts to develop an appropriate legal framework, including protection of the environment and community rights, and to strengthen their capacity to enforce these laws. An example is the Pathways to Environmental Action in Kenya where DFID supports work with local regulatory authorities and the private sector to find the best means of meeting environmental standards.
	At the international level, we encourage business participation in initiatives such as the UN Global Compact, the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. DFID also encourages companies to participate in ethical trade schemes such as the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) which DFID has funded since it began in 1998. ETI members adopt a code of conduct that includes the core labour standards of the International Labour Organisation. They work with their suppliers, in collaboration with trade unions and non-governmental organisations, to improve working conditions in their supply chains and develop and disseminate best practice.

Departmental Staff

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are taken by the Department to support staff with mental ill-health.

Gareth Thomas: In DFID, when staff develop or are diagnosed with mental ill-health the department provides appropriate assistance to help them to remain at work or, where there has been absence due to illness, to return to work. This can include the support of the welfare and counselling service, reference to the occupational health service for assessment of longer term needs, and for those who have been on long term absence a phased return to their normal working pattern over a period of up to three months.
	Any member of staff who is covered by the Disability Discrimination Act for mental illness is assessed for reasonable adjustments to be made to their work and working environment.
	DFID recognises work-related stress as an occupational health and safety issue and is currently putting the Health and Safety Executive Management Standards for tackling work-related stress into practice.
	DFID encourages staff to maintain a work-life balance and provides on-site fitness and wellbeing centres.

Developing Countries (Exploitation)

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what role his Department plays in tackling exploitation of workers in developing countries.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has current commitments of over 46 million to support activities to address the exploitation and improve the treatment of workers in developing countries.
	DFID is supporting the implementation of labour standards in a number of ways. The main channel for our support is the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the leading international body in this field. Our current partnership agreement with the ILO, worth 15 million over the period 200106, helps fund their programme of technical assistance to developing countries. In addition our country and regional programmes are supporting a number of ILO projects that focus on the elimination of child labour and the prevention of trafficking of women and children for forced and exploitative labour. For example in the South East Asia we are providing nearly 9 million over 10 years to a project aimed at reducing trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-region.
	DFID is also supporting efforts by businesses to set and uphold labour standards in their operations and supply chains through organisations such as the Ethical Trading Initiative. Further support is provided through the work of civil society organisations such as: a War on Want project in Asia that aims to improve the working conditions of women garment workers; and, the UNISON Global Network project that seeks to support the participation of working men and women in debates on international development.

HIV/AIDS

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in the United States on (a) the promotion of abstinence as a means of tackling HIV/AIDS in developing countries and (b) the effectiveness of this approach in assisting developing countries to slow the spread of the disease.

Gareth Thomas: I am in regular contact with the US Global AIDS Co-ordinator, Ambassador Randall Tobias, and there is established dialogue at both international and country level between UK and US colleagues. The UK and the US are the two largest bilateral donors on AIDS and have shared views on a range of key issues. For example, together we have emphasised the importance of county ownership for more effective national responses, by securing the 'Three Ones' harmonisation principles and developing the recommendations of the Global Task Team on Improving AIDS Co-ordination among Multilateral Institutions and International Donors. The UK maintained close dialogue with the US to secure the agreements made at Gleneagles and the World summit on getting as close as possible to Universal Access to AIDS Treatment by 2010.
	The US does have different policies from the UK in a number of areas related to international development, including on some HIV prevention issues. We have different policy positions on issues including promotion of abstinence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as access to clean needles and syringes as harm reduction measures. We have made the US aware of our views, yet we do, as we always have, continue to work with them to tackle HIV and AIDS.
	There has been discussion of these different views both bilaterally and in global meetings. The UK encouraged the US to adopt the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) policy position paper Intensifying HIV prevention, agreed at the UNAIDS Programme Co-ordinating Board (PCB) in June 2005. This is an excellent basis for action, stressing the importance of countries implementing the most effective, comprehensive prevention programmes.
	The UK remains committed to accelerating action on prevention. Globally, less than one person in five has access to basic HIV prevention services. This 'prevention gap' is fuelling the spread of HIV. Improving comprehensive HIV prevention services has never been more important, and this is what DFID supportsnot abstinence-only programmes.
	As EU President, we steered and secured agreement on the first EU-wide policy Statement on HIV Prevention. This Statement was launched by the Secretary of State on the eve of World AIDS Day 2005. It affirms the commitment of all European member states to comprehensive, evidence-based HIV prevention programming, including:
	Universal access to sexual and reproductive health information and services;
	Provision of harm reduction programmes and supplies to drug users to prevent transmission of HIV through dirty needles;
	Challenging and combating HIV-related stigma and discrimination through legislation, awareness campaigns and education;
	Providing universal access to prevention services, including voluntary counselling and testing for HlV;
	Reliable access to essential Sexual and Reproductive Health commodities including condoms (male and female) and kits for the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections and to essential harm reduction commodities including clean needles and syringes; and
	Continued support to the research and development of new prevention technologies including microbicides and vaccines.
	The UK will continue to work closely with our US counterparts on tackling the global AIDS crisis.

HIV/AIDS

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Uganda on the impact of abstinence in tackling HIV/AIDS.

Gareth Thomas: The UK is working with other development partners to help the government implement a comprehensive approach to fight HIV/AIDS that includes the three elements of abstinence, being faithful and condom use. We believe in doing more to make all prevention efforts more effective. We are concerned about emphasis on a single component of this strategy and do not agree with abstinence-only programming. In our discussions with the Government and other development partners we promote comprehensive HIV programmes based on evidence.

HIV/AIDS

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of (a) reports that there is a grave shortage of condoms in Uganda and (b) the impact this might have upon efforts to control the spread of HIV/AIDS in that country.

Gareth Thomas: There was a chronic shortage of condoms earlier this year after a large shipment of poor quality condoms were withdrawn from the market in October 2004. The UK responded by providing an emergency supply of 20 million condoms at the beginning of 2005. Other development partners including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Bank, the United Nations Population Fund, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria are supplying condoms in large numbers. The latest information I have is that there is no immediate shortage of condoms in the country as a whole, but more work is required to ensure their effective distribution. DFID is helping to address this problem through support for the distribution of condoms and their use. DFID is also working with the Government and other development partners to maintain an updated picture of all condom supplies in Uganda.
	The Government of Uganda's HIV/AIDS prevention policy includes the three elements of abstinence, being faithful and condom use. The long term supply and effective distribution of condoms are essential parts of a comprehensive strategy to fight HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDS

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken by his Department to tackle the spread of HIV/AIDS in southern Sudan following the end of the north-south conflict.

Gareth Thomas: The UK supported the Joint UN/World Bank Assessment Mission (JAM) to South Sudan that looked at the state of basic social services and assessed future needs across several sectors including HIV/AIDS. The JAM concluded that $62 million would be needed to help combat HIV/AIDS in the south over the next six years. DFID's initial contribution to meet the needs identified by the JAM is 23.5 million over the next three years. A proportion of this money will be spent on HIV/AIDS.
	In addition, DFID contributes 3.6 million towards the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS which covers the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan. This programme aims to improve knowledge, practice and behaviour of the general population, young people and those most vulnerable; develop and expand treatment, care and support for HIV/AIDS victims; and build the capacity of the National AIDS Council and NGOs to manage and monitor the HIV/AIDS programme.

Sugar Regime

Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with representatives of (a) Barbados, (b) Belize, (c) Guyana, (d) Jamaica, (e) St. Kitts and Nevis on the impact upon their economies of the EU proposals to reduce sugar prices over the next four years.

Gareth Thomas: My right hon. Friend, Hilary Benn met the Prime Ministers of the Caribbean at the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Malta where their discussions focused largely on the changes to the EU sugar regime. As the DFID Minister with responsibility for the Caribbean, I have met a number of times with Government and sugar industry officials from Jamaica and Guyana to discuss the impact of the proposed reforms on their economies, their concerns about the timescale and the extent of the price reductions. During my visit to Jamaica a year ago, I also listened to the concerns of sugar workers in Clarendon.
	Mt right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, has also recently met with the Prime Ministers from Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis and Jamaica in London and in Malta. In addition, other ministerial colleagues at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have met regularly with representatives from the countries in question to discuss these issues.

Sugar Regime

Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State forInternational Development 
	(1)  what steps he will take to ameliorate the impact of European Union reforms to the sugar sector on Caribbean sugar producing nations;
	(2)  what steps he will take to ensure the EU provides sufficient funds to meet the restructuring needs of(a) Jamaica, (b) Guyana and (c) Belize arising out of the reduction in sugar prices set for the next four years.

Gareth Thomas: We are working to ameliorate the impact of the EU reforms to the sugar industry by providing support for development of the national sugar action plans and by pressing for an appropriate amount of EU transitional assistance.
	It is important that each country's sugar action plans sets a clear framework for donor support and private sector investment. DFID is supporting five of the six sugar protocol countries in the Caribbean (Belize, Jamaica, St, Kitts and Nevis, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago) in the development of these plans and will shortly be providing technical assistance to Barbados as well. We will also ensure that, where possible, our ongoing bilateral support to Jamaica and Guyana, and our work with Caribbean regional organisations, respond to the needs created by the sugar reform.
	DFID, as part of a wider UK Government effort, continues to do all it can to push for an adequate transitional assistance package for those countries affected by the EU reduction in sugar prices. We funded a study to estimate the impact of EU sugar reform on the sugar protocol countries, and through our support for the action plans are helping to identify the financing needs for each country. Lobbying of other member states is likely to secure an initial 40 million for 2006. DFID will continue to play an active role in the wider UK efforts to lobby both member states and the European Commission to ensure adequate levels of transitional assistance for the period 200713.
	We will also be exploring, with other Government Departments, how we might help promote inward investment to the sugar producing countries.

Sugar Regime

Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of people who may become unemployed in (a) Jamaica, (b) Guyana and (c) Belize as a result of the EU's decision to reduce sugar prices over four years; and what assessment he has made of the social impact this may have.

Gareth Thomas: DFID commissioned consultants (LMC) estimated in June 2005 that the proposed 39 per cent. price cut for sugar would put 44,800 jobs at risk in these three countries33,000 for Jamaica, 1,200 in Guyana and 10,600 in Belize (assuming that the current sugar quotas allowing duty free access for the African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries (ACP) producers are maintained). These figures are hotly contested in the region and the national Sugar Action Plans currently being developed by the Governments of these countries seek to identify both alternative employment opportunities and training programmes for those made redundant. The full social impact of the price changes, and mitigating measures, will be set out in the completed plans. DFID is funding an analysis of the social impact in Jamaica to contribute to the Jamaica Plan.

Trade Liberalisation

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what position he will take at the forthcoming World Trade Organisation talks on the extent to which developing countries should undergo greater market liberalisation and privatisation.

Gareth Thomas: The UK Government will continue to work hard to support the poorest and most vulnerable producers, be it through multilateral negotiations in the World Trade Organisations (WTO) or regional trade agreements such as the Economic Partnership Agreements. In the context of the WTO negotiations, we are firmly committed to ensuring that developing countries are given appropriate flexibility to adjust to trade reforms, i.e. special and differential treatment (SDT). These include proposals for special products in developing countries, which may require protection due to their importance for rural development and food and livelihoods security. They also include proposals for a special safeguard mechanism for developing countries to temporarily protect vulnerable sectors if affected by import surges.
	In the negotiations poor countries are not being forced to open their market through any trade negotiations, multilateral, bilateral or otherwise. The UK Government believes that developing countries should be allowed to choose the best policies for the poor and the environment. New trade rules made in the WTO have to be agreed by consensus and thus all countries have the right to veto any agreement they do not consider to be in their best interest.
	The UK Government believes that trade rules should take account of different .countries' development needs. The answer, however, is not greater protectionism in the form of higher tariff barriers as these will limit the opportunities for poor countries to trade with each other, and with developed countries, and thus exclude them further from the benefits of international trade. Instead, we believe that existing and new trade rules should be made flexible enough so that they meet developing countries' needs. This is the policy the Government is pursuing in the WTO.
	In services such as water, education and health, increasing access, coverage and quality is vital if countries are to reach the Millennium Development Goals. In March 2005, DFID published a policy paper entitled 'Partnerships for Poverty Reduction: changing aid conditionality', which shows that we are committed to helping Governments of developing countries make their own decisions about how to develop their economies and provide services to their people, based on evidence of what works best in reducing poverty. The policy makes it clear that DFID will not make aid conditional on specific policy decisions by partner Governments or attempt to impose policy choices on them, including in sensitive economic areas such as privatisation or trade liberalisation.
	DFID also encourages developing countries to make their own decisions about service delivery, including whether or not to open their service sectors to foreign providers. However developing countries are not obliged to accept any request or to open up their services sectors. It all comes down to which option is the most effective in reducing poverty, a decision for Governments of developing countries to make through their own political process.
	The WTO Ministerial Conference taking place in Hong Kong this week, represents an important opportunity to make a significant contribution to reducing global poverty. The UK Government is working to achieve an outcome that delivers real gains for developing countries, including the poorest.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Guidance (Evidence/Documentary Access)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her policy is with regard to (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department giving evidence to the (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) National Assembly for Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland Assembly committees; and to what categories of document she gives (A) full access, (B) restricted access and (C) no access to (1) the Scottish Parliament, (2) National Assembly for Wales, (3) Northern Ireland Assembly and (4) House of Commons select committees.

David Lammy: Requests for the attendance of Ministers or officials to give evidence to the devolved legislatures, and for the provision of information to the assemblies, will be considered on a case by case basis. The consideration will reflect: the principles set out in the Cabinet Office guidance Departmental Evidence and response to Select Committees (July 2005); the policy outlined in the Department for Constitutional Affairs' Devolution Guidance Note #12 Attendance of UK Ministers and Officials of Information Act. The principles underlying the provision of at Committees of the devolved legislature; and the requirements of the Freedom information to House of Commons Select Committee are set out in Departmental Evidence and response to Select Committees, particularly sections 4B and 4C.

Legislation (Sunset Clauses)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her policy is on the use of sunset clauses in legislation.

David Lammy: The appropriateness of a sunset clause for the whole or part of any proposed legislation is considered on a case by case basis. It is also addressed when a regulatory impact assessment relating to legislation is being prepared.

Maladministration

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many payments for maladministration have been made by (a) her Department, (b) its agencies, (c) its non-departmental public bodies and (d) other bodies for which her Department has responsibility in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

David Lammy: It is the policy of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, its agency and non-departmental public bodies to make financial redress in accordance with the guidance set out in Chapter 18.7 and Annexes 18.1 and 18.2 of Government Accounting.
	The information you requested is set out in the following table:
	
		Department for Culture, Media and Sport
		
			  200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Department 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Executive NDPBs 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Advisory NDPBs 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Agency 0 0 0 0 0

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Departmental Contracts (Direct Mail)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many contracts for direct mail were signed by her Department in (a) 200506 to date and (b) 200405; and what the value was in each case.

Bill Rammell: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Academy Schools

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many and what percentage of pupils at academy schools (a) received free school meals and (b) were special educational needs children (i) before and (ii) after academy status was gained;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of special educational needs pupils (a) were at academy schools at the point they were designated as academies, (b) have been admitted since designation and (c) were admitted in the present term;
	(3)  how many and what proportion of pupils were eligible for free school meals in academy schools (a) at the point of designation and (b) in admissions since designation; and how many are eligible in the present term.

Jacqui Smith: The following table gives this information.
	
		Special educational needs
		
			   Academy 
			  Predecessor schoollast year before closure First year after opening 2005 
		
		
			 Average number on roll 740 935 1,031 
			 Average number of pupils with special needs with statements 25 29 33 
			 Average percentage of pupils with special needs with statements 4 3 3 
			 Average number of pupils with special needs without statements 198 253 292 
			 Average percentage of pupils with special needs without statements 27 26 27 
		
	
	
		Free school meals
		
			   Academy 
			  Predecessor schoollast year before closure First year after opening 2005 
		
		
			 Average number on roll 740 935 1,031 
			 Average number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 315 374 409 
			 Average percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 45 40 40 
		
	
	Note:
	Unless stated, averages are for 14 open academies and their respective predecessor schools. 13 academies have been omitted; three as they were 'new schools' and 10 as they had only just opened in September 2005 and therefore data are not yet available.

Academy Schools

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills at what point in establishment of a sponsored academy school the sponsor's 2 million contribution has to be paid; if she will list the academy schools which have been established; and what (a) the total committed by each sponsor, (b) the total paid by that sponsor to date, (c) the total contributed by Government to date and (d) the total estimated public funding to come is in each case.

Jacqui Smith: Academies' sponsors make their financial contribution within the timescale agreed with the Secretary of State through the Funding Agreement for each project. The information requested is shown in the following table. The third column records where we have clear evidence from the Academy Trust that a sponsor's contribution has been spentthere will be additional funding from the sponsor which has been provided to the Trust but not yet spent by them, or where the Department has not yet received evidence of that expenditure.
	
		000
		
			 Academy Total committed by sponsor Total evidence of use of sponsor contributions to end of November 2005 Total contributed by DfES to date Total estimated public funding to come 
		
		
			 Bexley 2,410 947 28,770 4 
			 Greig 2,000 1,375 14,479 0 
			 Unity 2,000 1,680 18,689 (29)-99 
			 Capital City, Brent 2,000 1,993 24,928 66 
			 City of London 2,000 1,097 31,065 620 
			 Manchester 2,000 336 18,723 (29)-937 
			 Peckham 2,000 1,018 26,660 1,160 
			 City Academy, Bristol 2,599 1,666 25,045 23 
			 Kings 2,000 2,000 20,301 0 
			 Walsall 2,500 2,062 15,707 14 
			 West London, Ealing 2,000 1,700 26,410 2,753 
			 Lambeth 2,000 1,000 24,319 (29)-873 
			 London, Barnet 1,500 1,191 16,536 10,263 
			 Mossbourne 2,150 1,704 25,824 0 
			 Northampton 2,000 624 25,212 147 
			 Stockley 2,000 431 21,734 2,076 
			 St Francis of Assisi 2,000 950 16,196 (29)-1,000 
			 Marlowe 2,462 1,462 11,510 13,558 
			 Macmillan 1,250 0 835 10,949 
			 St Paul's Greenwich 2,000 200 5,729 23,460 
			 The Harefield 1,500 42 4,055 20,864 
			 Dixons CTC 651 200 1,804 4,055 
			 Djanogly 0 250 21,197 329 
			 Trinity, Doncaster 2,000 1,734 20,698 2,071 
			 Haberdashers Hatcham 705 0 2,320 4,021 
			 Haberdashers Knights 296 0 11,634 28,451 
			 Salford 1,600 0 5,108 8,345 
			 Total 47,623 25,662 465,488 130,320 
		
	
	(29) Subject to separate agreements. The sponsor will complete their contribution at a later stage of the building project with recovery by DfES.
	Note:
	Academies listed in order of opening.

Academy Schools

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many academy schools are in the lowest 5 per cent. of Super Output areas according to deprivation indices.

Jacqui Smith: Decisions on where Academies open are based on criteria which include not only deprivation indices, but also educational need. We calculate deprivation statistics using the ODPM Multiple Indices of Deprivation, which are based on the 8,414 wards in England. Of the 27 Academies currently open, five are in the lowest 5 per cent. of Super Output areas in terms of deprivation indices.

Academy Schools

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many academy schools have been established and are operating; how many are in the course of being set up; how many applications are awaiting approval; and how many she expects to approve in the next two years.

Jacqui Smith: There are currently 27 open academies; a further 43 are in the course of being set up, either in feasibility or implementation; there are many more projects in pre-feasibility, and there will be at least 40 academies open by 2006 and further projects opening by 2007, but it is too early to give a precise number for these. We are committed to there being 200 academies open or in the pipeline by 2010.

Academy Schools

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many academy schools require pupils to wear school uniform; how many of these are in local education authority areas where grants are provided for uniforms; and how many of these schools provide grants themselves.

Jacqui Smith: Academies are independent state schools, and so they are free to adopt the school uniform policies they consider appropriate. The Department does not hold information centrally about which local authorities offer school uniform grants to schools, nor do we require schools to tell us how they allocate their own funding for items such as school uniform grants.

Departmental Expenditure

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the expenditure by her Department was on centrally financed local initiatives in (a) Essex, (b) Hertfordshire and (c) Southend West constituency in each of the last six years for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: The following table shows the expenditure incurred by the Department in Essex and Hertfordshire. The Department cannot give figures for Southend West constituency because it does not hold information on funding at constituency level; instead we have provided information for Southend-on-Sea.
	In addition to centrally financed local initiatives, local authorities also receive formula funding from ODPM for schools and children's services. These figures are not included in the following table. In the schools sector there have been regular transfers between the grants paid by the Department and formula funding paid by ODPM.
	
		Amount spent by DfES on centrally financed local initiatives(30)(5508530031)
		
			  million 
			  19992000 200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Essex 43.53 113.63 104.55 143.48 140.35 159.56 
			 Hertfordshire 31.19 77.93 83.14 111.46 105.11 139.33 
			 Southend-on-Sea 4.96 15.79 18.74 21.79 24.48 29.32 
		
	
	(30) Centrally financed local initiatives are taken to be specific programmes funded directly by the Department and exclude funding for schools and children's social services paid through ODPM.
	(31) Excludes payments made by NDPBs which could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Educational Attainment (Houghton and Washington, East)

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of working age people in (a) Houghton and Washington, East constituency and (b) England hold a qualification at degree level or equivalent or above.

Bill Rammell: From the 2004/05 Annual Local Labour Force Survey, the percentage of the working age population in (a) Houghton and Washington, East constituency and (b) England that hold a qualification at degree level or equivalent or above are (a) 14.2 per cent. (8,000 people) and (b) 26.1 per cent. (7,948,000 people).

Foundation Stage Profiles

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the foundation stage profile results were for (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004, broken down by (i) local education authority and (ii) socio-economic group.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 2 December
	My Department has no plans to publish foundation stage profile (FSP) results prior to 2005 by local authority or by socio-economic group. National summary FSP data was first published in 2003 as 'Experimental Statistics' and since 2004 as 'National Statistics'
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000476/index.shtml
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000566/index.shtml
	Data for 2003 and 2004 at local authority level are not reliable enough. There is evidence that ongoing improvements to the assessment process were less advanced for some local authorities and as a result the data may not properly reflect the precise outcomes of all children in these authorities.
	Figures for socio-economic groups can only be derived using the 10 percent. pupil level sample dataset supplied by local authorities (LAs). However, the sample was not designed for compiling estimates at these levels. In February 2006, the final data for 2005 will be published in a statistical first release.
	This will include a limited local authority version of the table recently published in the 2005 provisional SFR in October
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000608/index.shtml.
	The final 2005 dataset represents the most reliable set of information on the outcomes of children on the foundation stage profile for local authorities and reflects the fact that ongoing improvements to the assessment process are at their most advanced and have been applied more widely.
	This SFR will also include broad figures on the proportion of children who are achieving a good level of development in England for some of the most disadvantaged areas in England. The figures will be derived from the pupil level sample and will form the baseline for the SR 2004 public service agreement 1 which aims to improve children's communication, personal, social and emotional development.

Learners (Accidents)

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many accidents have been recorded to learners within the (a) Millennium Volunteers, (b) Children's Fund, (c) Positive Activities for Young Persons, (d) Neighbourhood Support Fund, (e) Sure Start and (f) Local Network Fund programme since each was established, broken down by (i) fatal, (ii) major and (iii) those requiring over three days' absence.

Beverley Hughes: Each programme has its own arrangements for reporting accidents. However, days absent are not recorded because the programmes are not compulsory and attendance is flexible and often irregular. For example a participant in PAYP might only attend one session during a holiday period.
	The following table gives details of accidents reported to DfES since the programmes began.
	
		
			  (i) Fatal (ii) Major (iii) Those requiring over three days' absence 
		
		
			 (a) Millennium Volunteers 0 0 n/a 
			 (b) Children's Fund 0 0 n/a 
			 (c) Positive Activities For Young People 0 0 n/a 
			 (d) Neighbourhood Support Fund 0 0 n/a 
			 (e) Sure Start 0 0 n/a 
			 (f) Local Network Fund 0 0 n/a 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.

Meetings (Refreshments)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance is issued by her Department to officials on ordering refreshments for meetings at which (a) officials only will be present and (b) non-civil servants will be in attendance; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The following guidance is issued by my Department to staff when ordering refreshments for meetings.
	There is a general principle that refreshments should not be provided at public expense when only civil servants are present.
	Mid-morning and mid-afternoon refreshments (coffee or tea and biscuits) may be provided at public expense either with or without the presence of non-civil servants
	for meetings to which some of those attending have travelled and when it is more efficient to continue the business of the meeting without a break; or
	at training courses where it is more efficient to keep the delegates together and continue the course without a break.

Outreach Services

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what outreach services are available to young people in the (a) Normanton and Sharlston and (b) Ossett wards of Normanton constituency (i) within and (ii) outside the sure start plus scheme.

Beverley Hughes: The local sure start plus programmebranded locally as 'young families'works across all wards in Wakefield MDC. Young families provides one-to-one support to young parents and pregnant teenagers and is developing a new teenage parents' support group in partnership with local health visitors. This group is based at Chesney's and is open to young parents from Featherstone and its surrounding districts, including Normanton and Sharlston.
	Over and above the services provided by young families, the local authority 'young people's service' has outreach provision targeting hard-to-reach young people in Normanton and Sharlston, including:
	street work in Normanton one afternoon a week; and
	A Connexions personal adviser who provides outreach services on the outreach van.
	A new outreach project is about to start in Normanton, run jointly by the young people's service and the local teenage pregnancy team.
	The young people's service also delivers outreach services in Horbury and Ossett, again targeting hard-to-reach young people, including:
	Detached youth work two nights a week; and
	One health and information session per week run by a Connexions PA
	Finally, the West Yorkshire Youth Association provides the following outreach services targeting hard-to-reach young people:
	An outreach van working at the Freeston Business and Enterprise college one afternoon a week, which has been there since August and will remain until Christmas. If the college is closed, the van operates from Normanton park.
	An outreach van that moves to different venues across the district on a rota basis. The van did operate in Sharlston earlier in the year, but it was moved to another part of the district as the service was not well accessed by young people.

Policy Framework

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made towards implementing the initiative set out in Information, Advice and Guidance for Adults: The National Policy Framework and Action Plan.

Phil Hope: My Department has made good progress in implementing the National Policy Framework, working with the Learning and Skills Council and Ufi learndirect:
	(i) Every adult in England can access a free, integrated information and advice service on learning and work through the national learndirect telephone and on-line advice service, and 47 local nextstep partnerships providing face-to-face information and advice;
	(ii) The services which the integrated service provides to users, including the priority for advice services for those who do not have a full level 2 qualification, are clearly defined in a national customer entitlement leaflet;
	(iii) All integrated service providers have achieved the national matrix quality standard, or are working towards achieving this. From January 2006, they will also be inspected by the Adult Learning Inspectorate; and
	(iv) Availability of on-line labour market information has improved through Directgov, and a continuous professional development strategy is in place for service practitioners and managers.

School Nurses

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools within Normanton constituency have a school nurse providing practical advice on preventing and dealing with teenage pregnancy; and whether she plans to increase the number of schools with such nurses.

Beverley Hughes: All four mainstream high schools within Normanton constituency (Normanton Freeston high school, Ossett Technology college, Outwood Grange college of technology, and Horbury school), the hospital school (Pinderfields and Pontefract hospital school), and the special school for students of secondary school age (Highfield school), have access to a school nurse for approximately half a day a week.
	The recent Public Health White Paper: Choosing Health, recognises the important contribution that school nurses can play in improving young people's health and calls for a new and relevant role for school nurses on a wider scale than in recent years.
	We are, therefore, providing new funding so that by 2010 every primary care trust (PCT)working with children's trusts and local authoritieswill be resourced to have at least one, full-time, year round, qualified school nurse working with each cluster of primary schools and their related secondary school, taking account of health needs and school populations.

Schools Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average amount spent on (a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils was in each of the last 30 years at today's prices.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 12 December 2005
	The available information is contained within the following table. We do not have comparable information for earlier years:
	
		School based expenditure1, 2, 3 per pupil(33) in local authority maintained primary and secondary schools
		
			  per pupil 
			  Primary(35) Pre-primary/primary(35) Secondary 
		
		
			 200304 2,810 n/a 3,620 
			 200203(34) 2,650 n/a 3,380 
			 
			 200102 2,690 2,780 3,410 
			 200001 2,450 2,520 3,130 
			 19992000(35)(5508530036) 2,250 2,300 2,930 
			 
			 19992000(35)(5508530036) 2,250 2,300 2,930 
			 199899(37) n/a 2,140 2,800 
			 199798(37) n/a 2,040 2,780 
			 199697 n/a 2,100 2,840 
			 199596 n/a 2,120 2,880 
			 199495 n/a 2,140 2,930 
			 199394 n/a 2,110 2,930 
			 199293 n/a 2,090 3,030 
		
	
	n/a = Figures are not available.
	(32) School based expenditure includes only expenditure incurred directly by local authority schools. This includes the pay of teachers and school-based support staff, school premises costs, books and equipment, and certain other supplies and services, less any capital items funded from recurrent spending and income from sales, fees and charges and rents and rates. This excludes the central cost of support services such as home to school transport, local authority administration and the financing of capital expenditure.
	(33) The expenditure data to 199899 are drawn from the annual RO1 spending returns which local authorities submitted to the ODPM. Figures for 19992000 to 200102 are drawn from Section 52 (Table 3) Outturn statements which local authorities submitted to the DfES. Figures for 200203 onwards are taken from Section 52 (Table A) Outturn statements. The change in sources is shown by the blank row. The pupil data are drawn from the DfES Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.
	(34) From 200203 the calculation is broadly similar to the calculation in previous years. However, 200102 and earlier years includes all premature retirement compensation (PRC) and Crombie payments, mandatory PRC payments and other indirect employee expenses, while from 200203 only the schools element of these categories is included. In 200102 this accounted for approximately 70 per pupil of the England total, while the schools element of these categories accounted for approximately 50 per pupil of the England total in 200203. Also, for some LAs, expenditure that had previously been attributed to the school sectors was reported within the LA part of the form from 200203 and would therefore be excluded, though this is not quantifiable from existing sources.
	(35) Expenditure was not distinguished between the pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of Section 52 for financial year 19992000.
	(36) The expenditure data for 19992000 onwards reflect the return of grant maintained schools to local authority maintenance.
	(37) Spending in 199798 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 199899.
	Notes:
	1. Cash figures are adjusted to 200405 prices using December 2005 Gross Domestic Product Deflators.
	2. Figures are as reported by the LEA in real terms (200405 prices) and rounded to the nearest 10.

Secondary Schools (Storage)

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many secondary schools in England have failed to reach the minimum standards regarding the provision of storage facilities in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The Department for Education and Skills does not set minimum standards for storage facilities in secondary schools. It does, however, in Building Bulletin 98: Briefing framework for Secondary School Projects (BB98), offer guidance on storage areas for secondary schools.
	No comparison has been made, within the last five years, between the existing amount of storage in secondary schools and that recommended in BB98.

Secondary Schools (Storage)

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures she is taking to improve the provision of storage facilities at secondary schools in England.

Jacqui Smith: The Department has produced guidance in the form of Building Bulletin 98: Briefing Framework for Secondary School Projects (BB98) that gives recommended standards for the provision of storage in secondary schools.
	The Department's Asset Management Plan, Suitability Assessment Method, enables the reporting and prioritising of any shortfall of storage where it has a direct impact on education, health and safety or security.
	The Department's Net Capacity Assessment Method records all spaces in schools including stores. With this data it is possible for schools and local authorities to compare existing storage areas with those recommended in BB98.
	The unprecedented level of funding being made available for secondary schools through Building Schools for the Future, Targeted Capital and other funding programmes should ensure that any identified shortfall in the provision of storage facilities in secondary schools can be rectified.

Sector Skills Bodies

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the relationship is between Skills 4 Security and the Learning and Skills Council; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Skills for Security is a newly established standards setting body formed after two years of research and consultation within the security industry. The new body will be fully operational from 1 January 2006 and, as the Security Industry Association's successor organisation on skills, will work with the Learning and Skills Council on the industry skills remit including promoting the industry's priorities to the LSC to inform their planning and funding decisions.

Sector Skills Bodies

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her Department's involvement was in the establishment of Skills 4 Security as a sector skills body for the security industry; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Skills for Security is an independently established organisation which will become fully operational on 1 January 2006. It will take over the skills remit for the security industry from the Security Industry Association (SIA). Skills for Security is not part of the Skills for Business Network which encompasses 25 employer led Sector Skills Councils and the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA). It is anticipated that Skills for Security will work with the SSDA on skills matters in a similar way to its predecessor, the SIA. The SSDA and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, both non-departmental public bodies, were involved in the industry-wide consultation exercise which led to the formation of Skills for Security, although the Department for Education and Skills itself was not a contributor.

Student Debt

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Cambridge (David Howarth) of 22 June 2005, Official Report, columns 11751176W, on student debt, on what date the Student Income and Expenditure Survey for 200405 will be published.

Bill Rammell: It is intended that the Student Income and Expenditure Survey will be published in February 2006.

University Staff (Salaries)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average salary is of a senior university (a) professor and (b) lecturer in England.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 8 December 2005
	The latest available figures are shown in the table. Figures for 2004/05 will be available in January 2006.
	
		Average salary(38) of full-time HE academic staff with teaching responsibilities HE institutions in England 2003/04
		
			 Grade Average salary () 
		
		
			 Professors 57,000 
			 Senior lecturers and researchers 41,700 
			 Lecturers 32,500 
		
	
	(38) Average salary is derived from the gross basic salary per annum, in pounds sterling as stated in the contract at the reference date of HESA's staff count (July 31) or at the end date of the contract if earlier. It does not include any regular payments for additional duties, responsibility allowances or honoraria, regardless of their source.
	Note:
	Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
	Source:
	Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Youth Opportunity Fund

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her estimate is of the resources likely to be made available to Birmingham city council under her Youth Opportunity Fund initiative.

Beverley Hughes: Allocations for the resources are not currently available. We expect to make announcements early in the new year.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

A21 Upgrade

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what role the South East of England Regional Development Agency has in the proposed A21 upgrade; and what funding it has received in each year since 1997.

Alun Michael: holding answer 5 December 2005
	SEEDA leads the Hastings and Bexhill Task Force, the partnership established in 2002 to take forward the regeneration of the Hastings area. The improvement of the A21 is one of the transport priorities identified in the Five Point Plan for the regeneration of Hastings and Bexhill. The role of SEEDA, and the Task Force, has therefore been to advocate the bringing forward of A21 improvement schemes. The Highways Agency is the responsible body for delivering these schemes, SEEDA has no direct role in them. Therefore SEEDA has received no funding for such schemes.

Bankruptcies

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many bankruptcies there have been in (a) Southend, (b) Essex, (c) Hertfordshire, (d) Greater London and (e) England and Wales in each of the last 10 years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The regional breakdown available for the insolvency statistics is not directly comparable with standard administrative or electoral geographies. The insolvency regions are areas assigned to groups of Official Receivers and are based around the location of county courts where the cases are heard and of courts having jurisdiction over these. The county courts covered in Southend are Southend-on-Sea, Brentwood, Chelmsford, Maldon and Romford. The county courtscovered in St. Albans are Amersham, Aylesbury, Harlow, High Wycombe, Hitchin, Luton, St. Albans and Watford. The county courts covered in London areAldershot and Farnham, Barnet, Bloomsbury, Bloomsbury and Marylebone, Bow, Brentford, Bromley, Chingford, Clerkenwell, Croydon, Edmonton, Epsom, Guildford, Kingston-Upon-Thames, Lambeth, Marylebone, Mayor's and City of London, Reigate, Sevenoaks, Shoreditch, Staines, Wandsworth, West London, Westminster, Willesden and Woolwich. The county courts covered in Croydon are Aldershot and Farnham, Bromley, Croydon, Epsom, Guildford, Kingston-Upon-Thames, Reigate, Sevenoaks, Staines and Woolwich.
	Figures for England and Wales are provided as follows, together with those for Official Receivers offices whose coverage is closest to the regions requested. The statistics below national level should not be considered to be a reliable measure of bankruptcies in those regions listed in the question and should, therefore, be interpreted with caution.
	
		Numbers of individual bankruptcies recorded over the last 10 financial years, April 1995 to April 2005
		
			 Official receivers office 199596 199697 199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Southend 822 744 637 624 591 614 574 510 847 1,091 
			 St. Albans 818 744 678 653 660 622 676 737 845 1,224 
			 London and Croydon 3,100 2,656 2,558 2,315 2,220 2,135 2,249 2,667 3,335 4,910 
			 England and Wales 22,186 21,058 19,713 20,508 21,479 21,961 23,426 25,177 29,633 37,562

Company Audits

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to improve the auditing of British companies.

Alun Michael: As part of the Government's commitment to promoting high quality auditing. It has:
	Established the Auditing Practices Board under the independent regulator, the Financial Reporting Council;
	Set new ethical standards that include a requirement to rotate the lead audit partner every five years;
	Enhanced powers for auditors to obtain documents and information from directors and employees of companies;
	Introduced independent monitoring and oversight of the audit profession through the Public Oversight Board for Accountancy and its Audit Inspection Unit;
	Required greater transparency by companies about services purchased from an auditor, including breakdown of types and value of non-audit services.
	In addition, the Company Law Reform Bill, introduced in the other House in November, brings the law on company auditing together in one place and restates it more clearly. It also makes a number of changes designed to improve the audit process.

Exports (Developing Countries)

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures have been taken to reduce the effects of (a) European tariffs and (b) farm subsidies on the export earnings of developing countries.

Ian Pearson: The long-term aims of the Government are to abolish all trade-distorting agricultural subsidies and all barriers to agricultural trade in the form of tariffs or quotas, providing increased opportunities for developing countries to trade their way out of poverty. In the context of the current World Trade Organisation trade round, the Doha Development Agenda, the current EU offer envisages a 38.9 per cent. average reduction in EU tariffs, a 70 per cent. reduction in EU AMS (aggregate measure of support) domestic subsidies and the elimination of export subsidies. The recent reform of the sugar sector will reduce substantially the EU's use of export subsidies and the Government are pressing for agreement of a 2010 end date for all export subsidies.

Non-agricultural Market Access

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with his Brazilian counterpart about non-agricultural market access; and if he will make a statement on progress on this issue in advance of the Hong Kong World Trade Organisation negotiations.

Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has had discussions with his Brazilian counterpart, Celso Amorim, on a number of occasions-both in person, and on the telephone.
	The WTO General Council adopted on 2 December 2005 a draft Ministerial declaration for discussion at Hong Kong. The text on Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) text notes that much work remains to be done to conclude the negotiations. It indicates that agreement should be reached by Ministers at Hong Kong on a date by which modalities should be agreed, and by which draft schedules will be agreed.
	The Chair of the Negotiating Group also, on his own authority, produced a report, which is annexed to the draft ministerial declaration. This highlights the areas of convergence and divergence between WTO members on NAMA. It also provides guidance on further action at or after the Hong Kong ministerial conference.

Postal Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department will ensure that the all post offices that want to provide vehicle licensing services are able to do so; and what plans his Department has to make rural post offices more economically viable.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 2 December 2005
	Decisions on the number of outlets able to issue motor vehicle licences are a matter for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). Its current contract with Post Office Limited limits the number of post offices providing this facility to 4,500.
	The Government are currently considering the future of the rural post office network. No decisions on this will be taken until Government have considered the findings of the Post Office Ltd. report of their pilot programme, trialling new and innovative ways of delivering postal services to rural communities. The Report is due to be presented to Government at the end of the year. This will be considered alongside analysis of the network currently being conducted.

Postal Services

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the rural Post Office network.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 7 December 2005
	The Government have made it clear that they will make informed decisions about the longer-term future of the rural post office network in light of the Post Office Ltd. Report into their trials of new and innovative means of delivering postal services to rural communities. The Report is due to be delivered to Government by the end of this year. This will be considered alongside analysis of the network currently being conducted.

Postal Services

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to ensure that the (a) implications and (b) costs of delivering the universal service obligation are shared with postal operators in addition to the Royal Mail.

Barry Gardiner: The Government's highest priority for the postal sector is to ensure the provision of a universal service. The costs of providing that service, and the appropriate price levels for its delivery, are a matter for Postcomm, taking into account the effects of market liberalisation.

Postal Services

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish his Department's analysis of other EU states with regard to whether they have a (a) fully state-owned postal service, (b) partially liberalised postal service and (c) fully liberalised postal service.

Barry Gardiner: A comprehensive study on the development of competition, in the European postal sector was undertaken by Ecorys on behalf of the EU Commission in July 2005. It includes analyses of market share held by the Universal Service Provider in each member state, and of its ownership structure. The study is available on the Commission's web-site at:
	http://europa.eu.int/comm/intemal_market/post/studies_en.htm

Postal Services

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with Postcomm on whether the Royal Mail should end cross-subsidisation of services.

Barry Gardiner: The issue of cross subsidies within Royal Mail's services is a matter for Postcomm, acting in accordance with to the requirements of the EU Postal Services Directives. These permit cross-subsidies between the different service elements of the universal service, but not between universal services and non-universal services.

Postal Services

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the social and economic value of the rural post office network.

Barry Gardiner: We are working closely with other Government Departments and key stakeholders to assess the social and economic value of the rural network.
	As set out in Section 42 of the Postal Services Act 2000, Postcomm, the regulator for postal services, is tasked with providing Government with clear advice about developments in the post office network. Postcomm's annual report to Government on issues relating to the post office network includes consideration of the social and economic value of the rural post office network.

Postal Services

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry by what date negotiations on Government funding for the rural post office network from 2008 onwards are planned to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: Post Office Ltd will shortly report to Government the findings of pilot activity to test new and innovative ways of providing post office services. Government will consider the implications for future access and funding for the network beyond 2008 at that point.

Power Stations

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment he has made of coal-powered power stations' emissions.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	Pollution controls on coal-fired power stations in England and Wales, are a matter for the Environment Agency. Theses controls are set in authorisations issued under the Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) system or in permits under the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) system, which is replacing IPC.
	Under these systems, the operator has to routinely monitor and report on emissions. This information is placed on public registers at the local Environment Agency offices and the local authority public registers. No change is being contemplated in emission limits for coal-fired power stations. These stations routinely produce their highest output during winter peak demand and controls are set to protect the environment to accommodate this.

Power Stations

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent (a) discussions he has had and (b) representations he has received about flue gas desulphurisation at existing power stations.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	Pollution controls on coal-fired power stations in England and Wales, are a matter for the Environment Agency. Theses controls are set in authorisations issued under the Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) system or in permits under the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) system, which is replacing IPC.
	The Environment Agency is undertaking pre-application discussions with organisations considering flue gas desulphurisation, and applications are expected next year. Once received, the applications will be placed on public registers at the local Environment Agency offices and the local authority public registers. An advertisement will be placed in the local press to indicate that the applications have been received and invite comments from the public. The Environment Agency will also provide copies to statutory consultees.

Royal Mail

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much (a) share capital was received and (b) investment made by the Government in relation to the Royal Mail in each year for which figures are available since 1997.

Barry Gardiner: The Government have not received any share capital from Royal Mail since 1997.
	There was no significant funding for the Post Office Corporation prior to 1999, but since then the Government have invested in the company.
	Royal Mail
	In December 2002, it was agreed to make available 1,044 million of securities to enable Royal Mail to deliver its renewal plan.
	Post Office Ltd.
	Government support of almost 2 billion in total has been made available to Post Office Ltd since 1999. Other than support for the rural network at 150 million per year for three years from 200304, this funding was not allocated on a yearly basis.
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 Horizon IT project 480 
			 Contribution to Your Guide project 25 
			 Support for the rural network to 2006 450 
			 Community post office support 2 
			 Support for urban network reinvention 210 
			 Deprived urban schemes in England 15 
			 Repayment of historic debt (to April 2003) (39)726 
			 (39) To Royal Mail  
		
	
	The Government have also decided to extend support to the rural network for two further years to 2008, worth another 300 million. This is subject to state aid clearance.

Royal Mail

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when Sir George Bain is expected to publish his findings following his discussions with those stakeholders involved in the future of the Royal Mail.

Barry Gardiner: Sir George Bain has been appointed to provide advice to the Secretary of State on Royal Mail issues. There are no plans to publish Sir George's advice.

Security and Homeland Defence Technology

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to fund research into technologies in the field of security and homeland defence.

Barry Gardiner: In addition to the Department's funding of the science base and the university research, the Department operates our Technology Strategy, the last round of which was launched on Thursday 24 November.
	With regard to security and homeland defence, officials work closely with colleagues in the appropriate other Government Departments to align this support for Collaborative Research and Development with their own research needs and programmes. This close working relationship also extends to our support for Knowledge Transfer Networks and Innovation Platforms in security, respectively to optimise the UK exploitation of research and tackle public policy challenges.
	A number of the case studies cited at the 24 November launch were for grants to support research on security issues.

Small Business Research Initiative

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many research and development opportunities were disseminated to (a) small and medium-sized enterprises, (b) universities and (c) other organisations through the Small Business Research Initiative in each of the last five years; what the total value of such opportunities was in each case in each year; how many contracts were awarded as a result in each case in each year; and what the value of such contracts was in each case in each year.

Alun Michael: Not all Government Departments have maintained detailed records in respect of their Small Business Research Initiative opportunities since the initiative's introduction in 2000. Therefore the breakdown requested is not available for the Initiative's voluntary phase.
	My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has mandated Departments to participate under the initiative in the Budget on 16 March this year and the DTI's Small Business Service will shortly be publishing the overall performance figures and what these represent as a percentage of baseline R and D budgets, where known, for 200304 and 200405.

South East of England Development Agency

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding the South East of England Development Agency has received from Government in each year since 1997 to spend on transport infrastructure schemes in East Sussex.

Alun Michael: holding answer 12 December 2005
	The South East England Development Agency, like all Regional Development Agencies, receives 'single pot' funding from Government in support of its statutory duties under the RDA Act 1998. Elements in this funding are not ring-fenced, so RDAs have discretion to spend it in line with their statutory duties which are: to promote economic development and regeneration; to promote business efficiency, investment and competitiveness; to promote employment; to enhance the development and application of skills; to contribute to the UK's sustainable development.

South East of England Development Agency

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what role the South East of England development agency has in Government funding decisions about transport infrastructure projects in East Sussex.

Alun Michael: holding answer 12 December 2005
	The statutory role of the regional development agency is: to promote economic development and regeneration; to promote business efficiency, investment and competitiveness; to promote employment; to enhance the development and application of skills; to contribute to the UK's sustainable development.
	Through the development of its Regional Economic Strategy and through its membership of the Regional Transport Board, SEEDA has highlighted the need for adequate investment in transport infrastructure in East Sussex and the rest of the region.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Air Weapons

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences involving air weapons there were in (a) England, (b) London and (c) each London borough in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: The available data for England and London are given in the tables.
	
		Table 1: Offences involving air weapons in (a) England and (b) London, 19992000 to 200102
		
			  Number of offences 
			  England London 
		
		
			 19992000 9,485 1,178 
			 200001 9,723 1,228 
			 200102(39) 11,828 1,483 
		
	
	(39) Figures for some crime categories may have been inflated by some police forces implementing the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard in advance of national implementation.
	
		Table 2: Offences involving air weapons in (a) England and (b) London, 200203 and 200304
		
			  Number of offences 
			  England London 
		
		
			 200203(40) 13,045 1,333 
			 200304 13,005 1,244 
		
	
	(40) The National Crime Recording Standard was introduced on 1 April 2002. Figures before and after this date are not directly comparable.
	Data for the London boroughs are not collected centrally.

Antisocial Behaviour

Edward Miliband: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in Doncaster North constituency are subject to antisocial behaviour orders; and how many are aged under 21 years.

Hazel Blears: Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) have been available to the courts since 1 April 1999. From commencement up to 31 May 2000 data were collected, on aggregate numbers only, by police force area. From copies of the orders received, since 1 June 2000, we are able to determine the local government authority areas in which restrictions are imposed. The number of ASBOs issued, as notified to the Home Office, in the local government authority area of Doncaster metropolitan borough council, in which Doncaster North constituency is situated, from 1 June 2000 to 31 March 2005 (latest available) is 43 of which 20 are in respect of people under 21 years old.

Breastfeeding

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance is given to police officers on their response to public complaints against women breastfeeding in public.

Hazel Blears: This is an operational matter for chief officers to determine.

Building Safer Communities Fund

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the Building Safer Communities Fund funding stream from the Government Office for London was made available to the London borough of Croydon in 200405.

Hazel Blears: The Government Office for London was allocated a total of 12,705,385 from the Building Safer Communities Fund in 200405, 474,652 of which was made available to the London borough of Croydon. This included a 25,000 grant towards the cost of an antisocial behaviour co-ordinator.

Cannabis Possession

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the average cost of arresting and charging people for cannabis possession in the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is not held centrally.

Commission for Integration

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the HomeDepartment pursuant to the answer of 29 November 2005, Official Report, column 430W, on the Commission for Integration, which faith leaders and key stakeholders were contacted by him on 21 September 2005; and what assessment he has made of the responses he has received.

Paul Goggins: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary wrote to the following faith leaders and key stakeholders on 21 September 2005:
	Bishop of Stepney,
	Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor,
	Iqbal Sacranie-Muslim Council of Britain,
	Dr Zaki Badawi-Muslim College, London,
	Jasdev Singh Rai-British Sikh Consultative Forum,
	Anil Bhanot-Hindu Council,
	Joel Edwards-Evangelical Alliance,
	Ramesh Kallidai-Hindu Forum,
	Indarjit Singh-Network of Sikh Organisations,
	Henry Grunwald-Board of Deputies of British Jews,
	Om Parkesh Sharma-National Organisation of Sikh Temples,
	Trevor Phillips-Commission for Racial Equality.
	The Home Secretary is giving careful consideration to all the views he has received and to nominations for membership of the Commission.
	The Home Secretary considers it very important that he gets the shape of the Commission right from the outset and is thinking very carefully about its direction. He hopes to be in a position to make an announcement on the way ahead soon.

Crime Statistics

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the most recent crime figures are for England and Wales according to (a) the British Crime Survey and (b) recorded crime statistics, broken down by (i) constabulary, (ii) region and (iii) basic command unit.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 7 December 2005
	The most recent crime figures broken down by police force area and region were published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin number 11/05, 'Crime in England and Wales 2004/2005'. This can be found on the website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.htm. Online, the Bulletin has accompanying tables which give recorded crime by basic command unit (BCD). The British Crime Survey does not provide data at BCU level.

Criminal Records Bureau Checks

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of criminal record checks were completed within (a) one month, (b) two months, (c) three months, (d) six months and (e) one year in (i) 200506 and (ii) 2004.

Andy Burnham: Information is not available to answer the question in the format requested. The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) reports its performance separately against Standard and Enhanced Disclosures on a monthly and rolling 12 month basis. The Published Service Standard (PSS) for Standard Disclosures is to complete 93 per cent. within two weeks and 90 per cent. of Enhanced Disclosures within four weeks measured from when the CRB receives a fully completed application to the date of issue of the Disclosure.
	Over the last period for which information is available, from 1 November to 30 November 2005, the performance against PSS for Standard Disclosures is 99.4 per cent. and 85.1 per cent. for Enhanced Disclosures. For the equivalent period last year, the figures are 93.5 per cent. for Standard Disclosures and 89.1 per cent. for Enhanced. The PSS for Standard Disclosures was revised in April 2005 from 90 per cent. within two weeks to 93 per cent. within two weeks.

Criminal Records Bureau Checks

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how priorities are determined in making criminal records checks; what priority schools have; and whether a distinction is made between different types of school.

Andy Burnham: Disclosure applications are processed with equal priority. No school or other type of education establishment or organisation receives priority over another.

Criminal Records Bureau Checks

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long on average the Metropolitan police took to process Criminal Records Bureau checks in the last period for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 6 December 2005
	The Metropolitan Police Service is currently taking on average 26.16 days to process Disclosures. This figure may be compared against the average time taken by the Metropolitan Police Service to process a Disclosure application during the last year, which was over 33 days.
	The Metropolitan police have made a number of changes to their IT systems recently which has led to significant and ongoing improvements in the time they are taking to deal with Disclosures referred to them by the Criminal Records Bureau.

Crystal Meth

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the (a) use of and (b) supply of and the risks for recreational drug users from crystal meth.

Paul Goggins: The use and supply of methylamphetamine in the United Kingdom is estimated to be very low based on the number and size of seizures. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) published a report on methylamphetamine on 17 November 2005; they recognised the potentially serious harms of taking methylamphetamine to the individual but the overall risk to users remained low given the very limited prevalence. The ACMD also recommended the development of an early warning system centred on ensuring those agencies collecting data on illicit drugs make the distinction between amphetamine and methylamphetamine when recording data. The ACMD recommended the closer monitoring of certain sub groupssuch as clubbers who are more likely to use methylamphetamine and agreed the subject of methylamphetamine should be a standing agenda item at the ACMD Technical Committee. It was also recommended action should be taken to impose tighter controls on methylamphetamine's precursors to prevent the spread of its misuse. The Government have accepted all the ACMD's recommendations. The ACMD undertook to provide an update to its advice in 12 month's time.

Drugs (Recreational Use)

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to monitor the prevalence of recreational use of drugs, with particular reference to methamphetamine; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The British Crime Survey (BCS) is the chief monitoring tool used by the Home Office to measure the prevalence of controlled drugs. The BCS does not currently differentiate between methylamphetamine use and amphetamines in general. The prevalence of methylamphetamine in the United Kingdom is estimated to be very low based on the number and size of seizures.
	The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) published a report on methylamphetamine on 17 November 2005 which included recommendations regarding the development of an early warning system centred on ensuring those agencies that collect data on illicit drugs to make the distinction between amphetamine and methylamphetamine when recording data. The ACMD recommended the closer monitoring of certain sub groups such as clubbers, who are more likely to use methylamphetamine, and that the subject of methylamphetamine should be a standing agenda item at the ACMD technical committee meetings.
	The Government have accepted all the ACMD's recommendations, including taking preventative action to impose tight controls on methylamphetamine precursor chemicals. The ACMD undertook to provide an update to its advice in 12 months' time.

Drunk and Disorderly

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests were made in (a) London, (b) Havering and (c) Romford as a consequence of an individual being drunk and disorderly in the last five years.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is not available centrally.

European Anti-crime Measures

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the European Commission's proposal that the Border Management Agency should provide intelligence and play a role in investigations relating to the involvement of organised crime in illegal immigration.

Andy Burnham: The Border Management Agency (Frontex) is a new EU Agency responsible for improving management of the external borders of the member states of the European Union, contributing to a high and uniform level of control on persons and surveillance of the external borders of the member states. Its primary function in terms of combating organised crime will be to ensure effective exchange of information with Europol and other appropriate organisations. Frontex and Europol should also work closely on operational activities where appropriate.
	Therefore the Government broadly supports the European
	Commission's proposal that Frontex should provide intelligence and play a role in co-ordinating operations on illegal immigration related organised crime in co-operation with member states and Europol, but it should not have an investigative role. There also needs to be assurance that Frontex's main focus will remain on strengthening management of the EU external border.

Fireworks (Penalty Notices)

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many penalty notices have been issued by each police force area in England in relation to the illegal use of fireworks during the last 12 months.

Hazel Blears: Offences under the Fireworks Regulations 2004 (made under section 11 of the Fireworks Act 2003) for breach of the national fireworks curfew, the illegal possession of category four fireworks and the possession by a person under 18 of an adult firework attract penalty notices for disorder, as well as the offence of throwing fireworks. The offence of throwing fireworks has been included in the penalty notice for disorder scheme since it was introduced nationally during 2004. The offences under the Fireworks Regulations 2004 were brought into the scheme with effect from 11 October 2004. The numbers of penalty notices issued by police force area are provided in the table.
	
		Number of PNDs issued for offences related to the illegal use of fireworks, by police force area, England August 2004 to July 2005(41)
		
			 Police force area Throwing fireworks Breach of fireworks curfew Possession of a category four firework Possession of adult firework by under 18s 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 1 1 0 0 
			 Bedfordshire 2 0 0 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 2 0 0 0 
			 Cheshire 6 0 0 0 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0 
			 Cleveland 5 0 0 0 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 1 
			 Derbyshire 3 1 0 1 
			 Dorset and Cornwall 4 3 0 0 
			 Dorset 3 0 0 0 
			 Durham 0 0 0 0 
			 Essex 5 1 1 2 
			 Gloucestershire 0 2 0 0 
			 Greater Manchester 19 0 4 4 
			 Hampshire 10 1 1 1 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 
			 Humberside 7 1 0 0 
			 Kent 8 0 1 1 
			 Lancashire 23 3 1 1 
			 Leicestershire 2 1 0 0 
			 Lincolnshire 18 2 0 0 
			 Merseyside 57 0 2 2 
			 Metropolitan Police 48 0 1 0 
			 Norfolk 2 0 0 0 
			 North Yorkshire 3 0 0 0 
			 Northamptonshire 5 0 0 0 
			 Northumbria 3 0 0 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 1 0 0 2 
			 South Yorkshire 11 1 1 4 
			 Staffordshire 9 0 0 1 
			 Suffolk 2 0 0 0 
			 Surrey 1 0 0 0 
			 Sussex 28 0 0 1 
			 Thames Valley 16 0 0 0 
			 Warwickshire 3 0 0 0 
			 West Mercia 2 0 1 0 
			 West Midlands 15 1 1 0 
			 West Yorkshire 35 1 1 2 
			 Wiltshire 2 0 0 0 
			 England 361 19 15 23 
		
	
	(41) Data for 2005 is provisional
	Source:
	RDSOffice for Criminal Justice Reform

Injury on Duty Awards

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his proposals to alter the terms relating to payments of Injury on Duty Awards, with particular reference to former police officers over the age of 65 years.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 12 December 2005
	We are reviewing the policy on injury awards for the police. In particular we are looking at the procedures for assessing claims and the criteria for receiving awards. We will conduct a public consultation exercise next year before making final decisions. It is not intended that any changes to regulations should apply to officers who have already left the service.

Independent Police Complaints Commission

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to allow the Independent Police Complaints Commission to conduct full investigations on fatalities caused by police vehicles.

Hazel Blears: Under the provisions of the Police Reform Act 2002, all complaints and conduct matters which involve death or serious injury must be referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Also, the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 introduced a new category of cases called Death and Serious Injury matters; that is, cases which are not conduct matters and are not the subject of complaints. All such cases must be referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. It is a matter for the Commission to determine how a case is investigated, including conducting its own investigation. The Secretary of State has no powers to intervene in that process.

Football Hooliganism

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests have been made at football grounds of (a) premiership, (b) championship, (c) league one, (d) league two and (e) conference clubs in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: Details of football-related arrests for the seasons 200001 to 200405, presented by the division in which the club the arrested individual supports competed in, is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  200405 200304 200203 200102 200001 
		
		
			 Premier League 1,339 1,627 1,694 1,355 1,623 
			 Championship 1,217 1,094 1,110 1,159 816 
			 League One 611 758 784 672 601 
			 League Two 252 511 361 281 351 
			 Conference 82 (42)n/a (42)n/a (42)n/a (42)n/a 
			 Cup Competitions (43)771 
		
	
	(42) Arrest data for the football conference (National Division) was not collated before 200405 season.
	(43) A The Home Office has published football related arrest statistics since the 200102 season. Previously the data was published by the National Criminal Intelligence Service. Their 200001 season data only breaks down arrests by club in League competitions. Arrests in cup competitions (771) are presented as totals for each competition, not by club.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies his Department has conducted on the lifespan of radio frequency identification tags in documents that may be subjected to intense use in the identity card scheme.

Andy Burnham: There are no plans to use radio frequency identification tags in ID cards. We have conducted a wide-ranging market sounding study to obtain the market view of the feasibility of an identity card with a ten year life. The survey was distributed to a cross section of suppliers in the smartcard value chain and completed responses were obtained from twelve suppliers. Amongst other questions, suppliers were asked for their views on the durability and costs of contact, contact-less, dual interface and hybrid cards. This survey concluded that a ten year life for a contact-less card incorporating a secure smartcard chip with a radio frequency contactless interface was feasible.

Identity Cards

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to publish the Concept Viability report on the Identity Cards Project when he receives it.

Andy Burnham: The Concept Viability report will be published at the commencement of the procurement process.

Knives

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been found to be carrying knives in public without a good reason or lawful authority in (a) Southend, West constituency, (b) Essex, (c) the Metropolitan police area of London and (d) Hertfordshire since the coming into force of the Knives Act 1997; how many of these received a prison sentence; and what the sentence was in each case in which proceedings are complete.

Hazel Blears: Information from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform is provided in the following table. It shows the number of offenders convicted under section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 of 'having a knife or bladed article in a public place' in South East Essex petty sessional area and in Essex , Metropolitan and Hertfordshire police force areas, 19972004. The table also shows the numbers sentenced to immediate custody and the length of sentence.
	Data for 2005 will be available in autumn 2006.
	
		Defendants found guilty of carrying knives in public, and the number given sentences of immediate custody, 19972004
		
			 Number of defendants 
			  Custodial sentence length 
			  Guilty Immediate custody 1 month and under Over 1 month and up to 2 months Over 2 months and up to 3 months Over 3 months and up to 4 months 
		
		
			 Essex police force area  
			 1997 85 19 6 7 2 1 
			 1998 97 27 5 11 4 3 
			 1999 96 36 9 8 10 5 
			 2000 99 24 7 8 3 4 
			 2001 99 27 9 8 6 3 
			 2002 103 43 11 12 11 9 
			 2003 141 36 4 14 7 6 
			 2004 200 54 12 13 9 11 
			
			 Hertfordshire police force area  
			 1997 31 3 1 2 0 0 
			 1998 29 4 1 0 1 0 
			 1999 28 7 2 2 1 1 
			 2000 27 3 1 0 1 0 
			 2001 24 2 0 0 0 1 
			 2002 53 10 0 1 3 2 
			 2003 83 13 1 6 3 1 
			 2004 84 9 3 3 2 0 
			
			 Metropolitan police force area  
			 1997 1,256 190 102 41 26 13 
			 1998 1,326 225 99 48 35 18 
			 1999 1,081 181 63 47 38 18 
			 2000 1,162 195 67 44 46 23 
			 2001 1,501 262 95 63 39 43 
			 2002 1,866 319 104 85 53 37 
			 2003 1,681 289 95 68 56 35 
			 2004 1,606 286 70 64 65 45 
			
			 South East Essex petty sessional area
			 1997 19 8 2 5 0 1 
			 1998 28 10 2 3 1 2 
			 1999 24 14 2 3 4 2 
			 2000 26 8 2 2 1 2 
			 2001 13 6 2 1 2 0 
			 2002 30 15 3 2 4 6 
			 2003 37 8 0 3 2 3 
			 2004 43 12 1 3 2 4 
		
	
	
		
			  Custodial sentence length 
			  Over 4 months and up to 6 months Over 6 months and up to 1 year 1 year Over 1 year up to 18 months Over 18 months up to 2 years 
		
		
			 Essex police force area 
			 1997 2 0 0 1 0 
			 1998 3 0 1 0 0 
			 1999 4 0 0 0 0 
			 2000 1 1 0 0 0 
			 2001 0 0 0 1 0 
			 2002 0 0 0 0 0 
			 2003 3 0 1 1 0 
			 2004 6 3 0 0 0 
			   
			 Hertfordshire police force area   
			 1997 0 0 0 0 0 
			 1998 2 0 0 0 0 
			 1999 0 0 0 1 0 
			 2000 1 0 0 0 0 
			 2001 0 1 0 0 0 
			 2002 3 1 0 0 0 
			 2003 0 1 1 0 0 
			 2004 1 0 0 0 0 
			   
			 Metropolitan police force area 
			 1997 7 0 0 1 0 
			 1998 14 6 3 1 1 
			 1999 9 5 1 0 0 
			 2000 12 1 2 0 0 
			 2001 17 2 0 3 0 
			 2002 26 10 2 2 0 
			 2003 19 7 5 2 2 
			 2004 30 10 0 2 0 
			   
			 South East Essex 
			 1997 0 0 0 0 0 
			 1998 1 0 1 0 0 
			 1999 3 0 0 0 0 
			 2000 1 0 0 0 0 
			 2001 0 0 0 1 0 
			 2002 0 0 0 0 0 
			 2003 0 0 0 0 0 
			 2004 2 0 0 0 0

KPMG Review

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2005, Official Report, column 45W, on the KPMG review, for what reasons the whole KPMG report is not being published.

Andy Burnham: The extract from the KPMG review was published in November 2005. To publish the full report would prejudice the commercial interests of the Identity Cards Scheme as it contains figures from the business case which if published would result in the Department being unable to obtain value for money from prospective suppliers during the procurement process.

London Bombings

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been seconded from each individual constabulary in England and Wales to the Metropolitan police to assist with their investigations into the bombings and attempted bombings in London in July.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not held centrally. However, the Commissioner of police of the metropolis has provided the following response. 352 officers from county forces were seconded to the Metropolitan police to assist with investigations into the London bombings. As at 30 November 2005,151 officers were still attached to the MPS. 201 county officers have since returned to their original force. Figures by individual force are provided in the following table.
	
		Figures for the number of officers seconded to the Metropolitan police service to assist with their investigations into the London bombings (Figures provided by the metropolitan police)
		
			 County Total number of secondments into the MPS to assist with London bombing investigations Secondments currently serving with metropolitan police service as at 30 November 2005 Secondments who have since returned to own constabulary 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 8 3 5 
			 Bedfordshire 4 0 4 
			 British Transport Police 15 6 9 
			 Cambridgeshire 3 0 3 
			 Cheshire 8 6 2 
			 City of London 6 4 2 
			 Cleveland 3 3 0 
			 Cumbria 4 4 0 
			 Derbyshire 9 5 4 
			 Devon and Cornwall 4 4 0 
			 Dorset 5 0 5 
			 Durham 6 3 3 
			 Dyfed Powys 8 7 1 
			 Essex 16 6 10 
			 Gloucestershire 5 1 4 
			 Greater Manchester police 3 3 0 
			 Hampshire 21 6 15 
			 Hertfordshire 6 2 4 
			 Humberside 17 5 12 
			 Kent 22 5 17 
			 Lancashire 10 4 6 
			 Leicestershire 10 4 6 
			 Lincolnshire 5 1 4 
			 Manchester 2 1 1 
			 Merseyside 11 1 10 
			 Norfolk 5 4 1 
			 North Wales 8 4 4 
			 North Yorkshire 7 0 7 
			 Northamptonshire 4 3 1 
			 Northumbria 8 7 1 
			 South Wales 16 7 9 
			 South Yorkshire 12 5 7 
			 Staffordshire 10 5 5 
			 Straithclyde 1 0 1 
			 Suffolk 4 4 0 
			 Surrey 4 2 2 
			 Sussex 13 6 7 
			 Thames Valley 16 4 12 
			 Warwickshire 4 3 1 
			 West Mercia 11 7 4 
			 West Midlands 9 4 5 
			 West Yorkshire 5 0 5 
			 Wiltshire 4 4 2 
			 Total secondments 352 151 201

Mobile Phone Theft

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of mobile telephone theft there were in (a) Lancashire and (b) England and Wales in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Mobile Phone Theft

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with mobile telephone companies about measures to combat the theft of mobile telephones.

Hazel Blears: The Home Office, mobile phone industry and police have developed a strong and close working partnership in order to tackle mobile phone theft effectively.
	The principal forum through which the Home Office engages with the mobile phone industry at a working level is the Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum (MICAF). MICAF is an industry-based forum of mobile phone network operators, retailers and handset manufacturers, set up specifically to tackle the issue of mobile phone crime. It has worked closely with the Home Office and the National Mobile Phone Crime Unit on a number of measures to tackle mobile phone theft, such as the database of lost and stolen phones, legislation to tackle re-programming and the National Mobile Phone Register.
	At a ministerial level, several meetings have been held with network operators, retailers and handset manufacturersthese have all proved to be productive. The mobile phone industry are committed to helping the Government and law enforcement agencies tackle mobile phone theft and have worked very positively in partnership with us over the past three years.

Murder Statistics

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) children under 16 years and (b) young people between 16 and 18 years have been murdered in each of the last 20 years.

Hazel Blears: The available information is given in the following table.
	The latest homicide statistics were published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin number 02/05, 'Crime in England and Wales 2003/2004: Supplementary Volume 1: Homicide and Gun Crime'. This can be found on the website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.htm
	
		Homicide victims(44) under 16 years of age and between 16 and 18 years of age
		
			  Victims under 16 years Victims 16 years and under 18 years 
		
		
			 1983 73 17 
			 1984 81 19 
			 1985 100 18 
			 1986 59 18 
			 1987 76 13 
			 1988 96 21 
			 1989 62 10 
			 1990 67 18 
			 1991 93 17 
			 1992 68 14 
			 1993 69 14 
			 1994 76 17 
			 1995 80 8 
			 1996 80 21 
			 1997 82 12 
			 199798 71 13 
			 199899 85 26 
			 19992000 65 19 
			 200001 99 26 
			 200102 64 25 
			 200203 92 18 
			 200304 70 16 
		
	
	(44) Figures as at 22 October 2004 and are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and the courts or as further information becomes available.

Offences against the Person

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) section 18 and (b) section 20 offences were committed in Essex in each year since 2000; and how many convictions were secured in each year.

Hazel Blears: The number of offences recorded for 'more serious wounding or other act endangering life' and 'less serious wounding' on the requested basis, are given in the table. Offences specifically relating to sections 18 and 20 cannot be separately identified in the recorded crime series.
	
		Table 1: Number of offences recorded by Essex police, between 19992000 and 200102
		
			 Offence Number of offences 
			  19992000 200001 200102 
		
		
			 More serious wounding or other act endangering life 91 233 247 
			 Less serious wounding 3,171 3,362 3,331 
		
	
	Note:
	The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
	
		Table 2: Number of offences recorded by Essex police, between 200203 and 200405
		
			 Offence Number of offences 
			  200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 More serious wounding or other act endangering life 301 341 350 
			 Less serious wounding(45) (including any minor injury) 12,070 13,457 13,024 
		
	
	(45) The change in definition relating to resultant injury in common assaults and less serious woundings, which applies from 1 April 2002, is described in the 'Common Assault' text box in Chapter 5 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin 'Crime in England and Wales 200405'.
	Note:
	The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
	Data from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform on the number of offenders found guilty for offences under sections 18 and 20 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861, for Essex Police Force Area 2000 to 2004 are provided in the table.
	
		Table 3: Number of offenders found guilty for selected offences related to 'wounding', -- Essex police force area, 200004(46)
		
			 Offence description/principal statute Found guilty 
		
		
			 Wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm/ Offences against the Person Act 1861 S.18  
			 2000 18 
			 2001 26 
			 2002 24 
			 2003 25 
			 2004 31 
			   
			 Malicious woundingwounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm/Offences against the Person Act 1861 S.20  
			 2000 59 
			 2001 54 
			 2002 65 
			 2003 63 
			 2004 60 
		
	
	(46) These data are provided on the principal offence basis.
	Source:
	RDSOffice for Criminal Justice Reform.
	Our ref IOS: 45105

Overseas Confiscation Orders

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money has been realised on behalf of other jurisdictions following enforcement of an overseas confiscation order; on behalf of which jurisdiction the order was made in each case; how much was (a) realised and (b) shared with the requesting country once the recovery costs had been deducted in each case; and whether the assets recovered were (i) the proceeds of corruption and (ii) the theft of a foreign state's assets in each case.

Andy Burnham: The Home Office does not record such information. Information available from the Crown Prosecution Service is as follows.
	The Crown Prosecution Service is currently enforcing a total of three confiscation orders, one from the Republic of Ireland and two from the United States of America. The total amount realised to date is 686,000 (plus accrued interest). This comprises 21,000 (plus accrued interest) in respect of the Republic of Ireland order and 665,000 in respect of one of the US cases. These monies have not been shared with the requesting country to date.
	In addition the Crown Prosecution Service enforced last year a US order with a value of 4.2 million. This sum was shared equally between the US and the UK.
	None of the orders relates to the proceeds of corruption or theft of a foreign State's assets. Data for previous years is not available.

Passports

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether one of the proposed passport centres will be located in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 28 November 2005
	A network of office locations has been designed to provide the optimum balance between convenience and costs. The design took into account customer opinion surveys, modelling of population and consultations with county and regional authorities. It was externally verified. It has resulted in a network of 69 potential locations in which the average two way journey from home to interview office and back will be just under 25
	miles and take just under 40 minutes. However, the exact locations cannot be finally confirmed until the availability of premises has been ascertained, which will take several months.
	The interview offices will generally be small and most will be able to meet the demand in their area without being open every day. On present plans, 59 offices will have three interview positions or less and 51 will be open for less than five days per week, but all will be open on Saturdays.

Passports

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis passport fees are calculated.

Andy Burnham: Passport fees are set in order to recover the full cost of providing the service including an element for non-fee bearing consular services abroad. Fee levels are reviewed annually with Her Majesty's Treasury. The latest fee levels have been calculated as part of a two-year arrangement whereby all costs will be recovered by 31 March 2007.

Passports

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements will be made for personal interviews for passport applications in the areas of (a) Berwick-upon-Tweed, (b) Alnwick and (c) Rothbury.

Andy Burnham: A network of offices locations has been designed to provide the optimum balance between convenience and costs. The design took into account customer opinion surveys, modelling of population and consultations with county and regional authorities. It was externally verified. It has resulted in a network of 69 potential locations in which the average two way journey from home to interview office and back will be just under 25 miles and take just under 40 minutes. However, the exact locations cannot be finally confirmed until the availability of premises has been ascertained, which will take several months.
	The interview offices will generally be small and most will be able to meet the demand in their area without being open every day. On present plans, 59 offices will have three interview positions or less and 51 will be open for less than five days per week, but all will be open on Saturdays.

Passports

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost of interviewing all first time adult passport applicants.

Andy Burnham: The UK Passport Service has not yet completed the procurement process for the introduction of the high street network of offices for conducting interviews for all first-time adult applicants for passports. It is therefore unable to release details on costs at this time as it could prejudice the contract negotiations.
	As stated in the corporate and business plans, the average unit cost for the production of passports will rise from 42.36 in 200506 to 57.93 in 200607 to cater for a range of improvement initiatives, among which is the introduction of biometrics and the interview for all first time adult passport applications.

Passports

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to introduce the e-passport with a chip containing the image of the holder's face; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The new biometric passport is planned to be introduced through a phased incremental approach from February 2006. During the early stages of transition, some customers will receive a biometric passport but most will continue to receive a digital passport. UK Passport Service will only switch over completely to biometric passports once it establishes it is safe to do so without compromising customer service. Both the current digital and new biometric passports will be valid international travel documents.

Passports

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were prosecuted for passport (a) fraud and (b) forgery in each of the last five years.

Andy Burnham: The figures recorded by the UK Passport Service (UKPS) for the number of prosecutions made against individuals who have fraudulently applied for passports are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001 16 
			 2002 5 
			 2003 16 
			 2004 54 
			 2005(47) 25 
		
	
	(47) until October.
	It should be noted that UKPS does not routinely receive feedback from the police or prosecution authorities on cases of passport fraud which are referred to them. The figures given above are therefore likely to be a significant under representation of the number of prosecutions brought. UKPS is working with the police to develop a more effective feedback mechanism. The figures collated by UKPS do not distinguish between successful and unsuccessful prosecutions. Figures relating to prosecutions for passport forgery are not available.

Police

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in implementing detailed rules of engagement across the police force.

Hazel Blears: Operational tactics when using firearms are a matter for the police. The Association of Chief Police Officers have produced a manual of guidance on the police use of firearms. The policy section of this guidance is available at www.acpo.police.uk.

Police

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were on establishment in the Essex police force in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: The published data relates to the actual strength of the police force not establishment which are set by police authorities and chief constables. The data for Essex police is set out in the following table.
	
		Essex policePolice service personnel strength 200105
		
			 Number 
			 As at 31 March Police Officer Police (Support) Staff Community Support Officer(48) Designated Officers (S38)(49) Special Constables 
		
		
			 2001 2,887 1,447 (50)n/a (50)n/a 445 
			 2002 2,946 1,571 (50)n/a (50)n/a 381 
			 2003 2,989 1,671 10 (51)n/a 371 
			 2004 3,098 1,876 86 (51)n/a 349 
			 2005 3,190 1,955 179 65 363 
		
	
	(48) Community Support Officers were introduced in 200203.
	(49) Designated officers are persons employed to exercise specific powers which would otherwise be available only to police officers (such as Investigation Officers, Detention Officers and Escort Officers). Introduced under s38 of the Police Reform Act 2002.
	(50) Not applicable.
	(51) Not available.

Police

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 29 November 2005, Official Report, column 457W, what is the evidential base for his statement that police restructuring should be implemented as quickly as possible.

Hazel Blears: Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary clearly demonstrated in its report, Closing the Gap that the vast majority of forces in England and Wales were not providing adequate levels of protective services. In light of such findings it would be irresponsible for the Government not to act and ensure such gaps in services were filled in an effective way and as soon as possible.
	Furthermore, we do not want to subject the service to a prolonged period of uncertainty which could lead to loss of morale and distraction from their core task of protecting the public. We cannot allow that to happen to the police service so we need to press ahead as quickly as it is sensible to do so.

Police

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from (a) the Police Federation, (b) the Association of Chief Police Officers, (c) Taser International and (d) other interested parties regarding possible changes governing the deployment of tasers.

Hazel Blears: The Association of Chief Police Officers and the Police Federation have suggested that the Taser should be available for use in a wider range of operational situations and by specialist officers. We will be discussing this issue with them shortly. No decisions have yet been taken. Representations have also been received from Amnesty International. No representations have been received from Taser International or other interested parties.

Police

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in England and Wales on the latest date for which figures are available, (a) in total and (b) broken down by (i) region, (ii) constabulary and (iii) basic command unit.

Hazel Blears: The available information is provided in the following table. The figures provided are based on police officer strength as at 31 March 2005.
	
		Police officer strength by English Government Office Regions and Wales, and police force area (full-time) equivalent
		
			 English Government Office Regions and Wales  
		
		
			 North East 7,515 
			 Cleveland 1,689 
			 Durham 1,738 
			 Northumbria 4,088 
			   
			 North West 19,510 
			 Cheshire 2,207 
			 Cumbria 1,260 
			 Greater Manchester 8,119 
			 Lancashire 3,586 
			 Merseyside 4,339 
			   
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 12,790 
			 Humberside 2,252 
			 North Yorkshire 1,560 
			 South Yorkshire 3,307 
			 West Yorkshire 5,671 
			   
			 East Midlands 9,437 
			 Derbyshire 2,082 
			 Leicestershire 2,311 
			 Lincolnshire 1,234 
			 Northamptonshire 1,289 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,522 
			   
			 West Midlands 13,854 
			 Staffordshire 2,309 
			 Warwickshire 1,012 
			 West Mercia 2,380 
			 West Midlands 8,154 
			   
			 Eastern 10,902 
			 Bedfordshire 1,232 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,418 
			 Essex 3,230 
			 Hertfordshire 2,145 
			 Norfolk 1,554 
			 Suffolk 1,323 
			   
			 London 31,954 
			 London, City of 881 
			 Metropolitan Police 31,073 
			   
			 South East 16,676 
			 Hampshire 3,803 
			 Kent 3,630 
			 Surrey 1,959 
			 Sussex 3,094 
			 Thames Valley 4,189 
			   
			 South West 10,808 
			 Avon and Somerset 3,398 
			 Devon and Cornwall 3,399 
			 Dorset 1,475 
			 Gloucestershire 1,308 
			 Wiltshire 1,228 
			   
			 Wales 7,613 
			 Dyfed Powys 1,183 
			 Gwent 1,438 
			 North Wales 1,676 
			 South Wales 3,316 
			 Total of all 43 forces 141,060 
			   
			 National Crime Squad (NCS) 1,059 
			 National Crime Intelligence Squad (NCIS) 121 
			 Central Service Secondments 555 
			 Total police officer strength 142,795 
		
	
	Note:
	This table contain full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items.

Police

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms he plans to establish to deal with the personnel issues arising from his proposals to restructure police forces in England and Wales.

Hazel Blears: The Home Office has established a stakeholder group which includes representatives of the staff associations and trade unions as a forum for discussing the development of personnel issues arising from the restructuring proposals, and officials have held a number of bilateral meetings with the staff associations and unions. I expect that any changes in police officer or staff terms and conditions of service necessitated by restructuring would be handled by the Police Negotiating Board, the Police Advisory Board of England and Wales and the Police Staff Council as appropriate.

Police

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the timetable is for the restructuring of police forces in England and Wales.

Hazel Blears: Forces and authorities will submit their final reports which will include their preferred option for change to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary by 23 December. Detailed assessment of these options will be made before a decision is reached as to the options that are most viable for implementation. No further announcements will be made until next year.

Police

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial arrangements he will make to fund the new regional police force for the West Midlands; and what discussions he has had with the Deputy Prime Minister on the resultant changes in council tax bills for band D properties in the area affected.

Hazel Blears: No decisions have been taken yet about the future structure of policing in the West Midlands area.
	The Government will be considering grant arrangements for police authorities in the light of changes to police authority boundaries and in the way the new larger authorities might operate.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Welsh Assembly Government, Her Majesty's Treasury and police representative bodies have been invited to participate in examining the financial aspects of reorganisation, including the impact of restructuring on budgets, grant and council tax.

Police

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police communication systems are interoperable with the (a) local fire service and (b) ambulance service; and what plans he has to ensure that interoperability continues after the proposed amalgamation of police forces.

Hazel Blears: Airwave is the new radio communications system for the police service in England, Wales and Scotland. Officers across the country using the network are able to communicate directly with each other, regardless of location. The other emergency services are currently updating their radio communication networks on a national basis and have agreed to join the Airwave service. When their new systems are fully operational their communications systems will interoperate seamlessly withthe police network. Existing interoperability arrangements on the old radios used by the services will be maintained until the new systems are fully operational. The proposed amalgamation of police forces will have no effect on these arrangements.

Police

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers are allocated to each London borough; and how many crimes were committed in each of those boroughs in 2004.

Hazel Blears: The data for the number of police officers by basic command unit within the Metropolitan police area as at 31 March 2005 are provided in the following table. Data are also provided for the number of offences recorded within these basic command units for 200405.
	
		Number of police officers and total recorded crime in the Metropolitan police area by BCU
		
			 Basic command unit Number of police officers(52) Number of offences(53) 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 419.1 21,442 
			 Barnet 561.0 37,887 
			 Bexley 382.7 18,859 
			 Brent 679.4 35,582 
			 Bromley 489.2 30,761 
			 Camden 850.4 45,432 
			 City of Westminster 1,617.1 79,338 
			 Croydon 692.0 35,004 
			 Ealing 686.2 36,418 
			 Enfield 574.7 28,131 
			 Greenwich 605.2 31,186 
			 Hackney 788.5 36,492 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 526.1 27,139 
			 Haringey 683.2 35,553 
			 Harrow 342.2 18,107 
			 Havering 383.4 21,431 
			 Heath row 437.5 6,168 
			 Hillingdon 497.8 27,800 
			 Hounslow 509.7 27,908 
			 Islington 683.4 37,956 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 561.6 26,812 
			 Kingston upon Thames 298.2 15,690 
			 Lambeth 984.5 45,784 
			 Lewisham 645.9 34,833 
			 Merton 351.7 17,281 
			 Newham 781.9 36,460 
			 Redbridge 458.7 26,173 
			 Richmond upon Thames 286.8 15,320 
			 Southwark 891.4 43,771 
			 Sutton 291.0 16,942 
			 Tower Hamlets 761.0 36,329 
			 Waltham Forest 545.8 29,491 
			 Wandsworth 582.3 31,641 
		
	
	(52) As at 31 March 2005
	(53) For period 200405

Police

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate he has made of the number of crimes per police officer for each constabulary in England and Wales.

Hazel Blears: The number of crimes per police officer for the year 200405 is given in the following table.
	Recorded crime figures can be found in Home Office Statistical Bulletin (HOSB) number 11/05 and police strength figures in HOSB 12/05.
	These are available from
	website:http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.htm
	
		Number of crimes per police officer 200405
		
			 Police force area Time recorded crime Total police officer strength Number of crimes per police officer 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 161,210 3,398 47 
			 Bedfordshire 57,973 1,232 47 
			 Cambridgeshire 73,659 1,418 52 
			 Cheshire 89,300 2,207 40 
			 Cleveland 68,967 1,689 41 
			 Cumbria 43,300 1,260 34 
			 Derbyshire 84,712 2,082 41 
			 Devon and Cornwall 133,282 3,399 39 
			 Dorset 57,722 1,475 39 
			 Durham 47,115 1,738 27 
			 Dyfed-Powys 32,409 1,183 27 
			 Essex 134,789 3,230 42 
			 Gloucestershire 53,333 1,308 41 
			 Greater Manchester 324,616 8,119 40 
			 Gwent 57,206 1,438 40 
			 Hampshire 173,072 3,803 46 
			 Hertfordshire 97,065 2,145 45 
			 Humberside 124,105 2,252 55 
			 Kent 136,440 3,630 38 
			 Lancashire 152,043 3,586 42 
			 Leicestershire 96,347 2,311 42 
			 Lincolnshire 58,349 1,234 47 
			 London, City of 8,685 881 10 
			 Merseyside 170,846 4,339 39 
			 Metropolitan Police 1,015,121 31,073 33 
			 Norfolk 66,376 1,554 43 
			 North Wales 53,865 1,676 32 
			 North Yorkshire 61,864 1,560 40 
			 Northamptonshire 73,903 1,289 57 
			 Northumbria 142,122 4,088 35 
			 Nottinghamshire 143,108 2,522 57 
			 South Wales 124,162 3,316 37 
			 South Yorkshire 140,371 3,307 42 
			 Staffordshire 101,084 2,309 44 
			 Suffolk 52,101 1,323 39 
			 Surrey 70,851 1,959 36 
			 Sussex 140,177 3,094 45 
			 Thames Valley 205,273 4,189 49 
			 Warwickshire 43,131 1,012 43 
			 WestMercia 95,056 2,380 40 
			 West Midlands 293,972 8,154 36 
			 West Yorkshire 263,534 5,671 46 
			 Wiltshire 40,075 1,228 33 
			 England and Wales 5,562,691 141,060 39

Police

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the burden of paperwork faced by the police.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 5 December 2005
	The Frontline Policing Measure for 200405 was published on 27 October and indicated that officers in England and Wales spent 64.1 per cent. of their time on frontline duties. Police authorities have set local improvement targets which should deliver the equivalent gain in time of more than 12,000 officers to front line tasks by 2008.
	We have made good progress in reducing the bureaucratic burdens on police officers by cutting nearly 9,000 unnecessary forms; civilianising posts; rolling out the penalty notice for disorder scheme; and ensuring that forces have the best scientific and technological support like video identity parades and electronic fingerprinting so that officers spend more time in communities tackling crime and antisocial behaviour and reassuring the public.

Police

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who will decide the location of the headquarters of merged police forces.

Hazel Blears: This will be a matter for forces and authorities to consider in due course.

Police

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of (a) Level 2 Capability and (b) forensic management in (i) Gloucestershire constabulary and (ii) other police forces in the South West region.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 6 December 2005
	During the summer of this year Gloucestershire constabulary, like every other Home Office police force in England and Wales, were assessed in relation to their capability and capacity to provide seven 'protective' services. These services are:
	Counter terrorism and Domestic Extremism,
	Serious and Organised Crime,
	Major Crime (Murder) Critical Incidents,
	Public Order,
	Civil Contingencies and Emergency procedures
	Strategic Roads Policing.
	The assessment was conducted by officers working for HMIC Denis O'Connor, who reported his findings to the Home Secretary in the report 'Closing the Gap'. While the report identified general issues arising from the assessment, more specific local feedback was given to each chief constable. The 'Closing the Gap' report is available on the Home Office website.

Police

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who would bear financial responsibility for the (a) private finance initiative (PFI) payments and (b) compensation payable to PFI contractors for the new headquarters of Gloucestershire constabulary at Quedgeley if it becomes redundant.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 12 December 2005
	Financial responsibility for the payment to the contractor falls to the police authority. They receive PFI grant support from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), who makes the payment through the Revenue Support Grant. In the event that the new headquarters of Gloucestershire constabulary became redundant the financial responsibility for compensation would pass to the successor authority.

Police

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the amount of compensation which would have to be paid to private companies if the new headquarters of Gloucestershire constabulary at Quedgeley is no longer needed as a result of the police restructuring proposals.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 12 December 2005
	The amount of compensation which would have to be paid to private companies if the new headquarters of Gloucestershire constabulary is no longer needed would be agreed through negotiation at the time of the event. Procedures for this are set out in the Standardisation of PFI Contracts version three (SoPC3), which is published by the Treasury on their website.

Police

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the annual cost of maintaining and leasing the new headquarters of Gloucestershire Constabulary at Quedgeley will be under the private finance initiative;
	(2)  what the cost was of the new headquarters of Gloucestershire Constabulary at Quedgeley.

Hazel Blears: holding answers 12 December 2005
	The chief constable of Gloucestershire constabulary is responsible for the operational management of the force. I will ensure that he receives a copy of the questions and replies to you directly.

Police

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been employed in (a) Southend and (b) Essex in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is set out in the table. Information on strength at basic command unit (BCD) level has only been collected since 2002.
	
		Police officer strength in Essex police and Southend basic command unit (BCU)
		
			 Number 
			 As at 31 March: Essex police Southend BCU 
		
		
			 1997 2,961 n/a 
			 1998 2,928 n/a 
			 1999 2,891 n/a 
			 2000 2,806 n/a 
			 2001 2,887 n/a 
			 2002 2,946 267 
			 2003 2,989 273 
			 2004 3,098 278 
			 2005 3,190 288 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	Note:
	All figures are full-time equivalents.
	Source:
	Source for 1997 to March 2005 is the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (RDS).

Police

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the proposals for the amalgamation of police forces entail changes to the (a) number and (b) boundaries of basic command units.

Hazel Blears: We anticipate that there will be minimal impact upon basic command units (BCD) as a result of restructuring. We will be in a better position to know what these are once final options for change have been agreed.

Police

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the proposed reorganisation of police forces in Wales is expected to cost; and who will pay for the costs of reorganisation.

Hazel Blears: The consultation process for police force restructuring is currently under way and forces and authorities are working up their business cases proposing their options for change. I have requested authorities to submit their final preferred option including detailed cost/benefit analysis by 23 December 2005. Any proposals for change including from Welsh police forces and authorities, will be carefully assessed after 23 December 2005. I am determined that costs of restructuring will be minimised and benefits arising from mergers should be realised in future years.

Police

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether the savings accrued from the restructuring of police forces in England and Wales will be retained by the new forces created by the restructuring;
	(2)  whether any savings from police force restructuring will be in addition to planned expenditure on the police in England and Wales by his Department as set out in the Spending Review.

Hazel Blears: We will expect savings made as a result of police force reorganisation to be reinvested by the police service in order to strengthen protective services and support neighbourhood policing.

Religious Cults

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received about the activities of religious cults, with particular reference to the School of Economic Science; how he plans to respond; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department considers the matter of cults operating in this country seriously and recently met with the Head of INFORM (Information Network Focusing on Religious Movements) to discuss a range of issues related to cults in the UK.
	He has not had any recent representations from the School of Economic Science, but does share the concerns many people have on the activity of cults. He is keen to keep the situation under review.

Schedule 1 Offenders

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his most recent estimate is of the number of Schedule 1 offenders who are at liberty.

Hazel Blears: A conviction or caution for an offence listed in Schedule 1 to the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 triggers further assessments of risk, by agencies such as the police, probation and prison services and local authority social services, and is used to identify individuals who may pose a risk to children. Practitioners exercise their professional judgement in such assessments and appreciate that not all convicted or cautioned individuals will necessarily pose a continued risk to children and that there are cases where a person without a conviction or caution may pose such a risk.
	The offences listed in Schedule 1 range from murder to any ... offence involving bodily injury to a child or young person. To calculate the number of people who have committed an offence involving bodily injury to a child or young person and who are currently living in the community could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Speed Cameras

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces use the LT1 20.20 mobile speed camera.

Paul Goggins: The LTI 20.20 speed enforcement device has been purchased by 50 forces in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Speed Cameras

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research has been carried out on the impact of atmospheric conditions on the accuracy of speed cameras.

Paul Goggins: The laboratory and field testing undertaken prior to the type approval of speed enforcement equipment includes an assessment of performance across a wide range of relevant atmospheric conditions. The full range of tests are published in the various Speed meter Handbooks available from Home Office Scientific Development Branch website.

Speed Cameras

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of prosecutions for motor speeding offences were discontinued for technicalities relating to the (a) placement and (b) operation of speed limit (i) signs and (ii) cameras in (A) 2003, (B) 2004 and (C) 2005.

Paul Goggins: This information is not collected centrally.

Stonehenge

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was to Wiltshire constabulary of policing the summer solstice celebrations at Stonehenge in each of the past five years.

Hazel Blears: The chief constable of Wiltshire constabulary is responsible for the operational management of the force. I will ensure that he receives a copy of the question and replies to you directly.

Strategic Police Forces

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the proposed strategic police forces will be made democratically accountable.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 5 December 2005
	We continue to see a vital role for police authorities in setting policing priorities for the force and holding the chief officer to account for the delivery of an efficient, effective and responsive policing service. To maintain democratic legitimacy, we envisage that the majority of police authority members will be local councillors, as now. We are considering options for strengthening the accountability arrangements at BCD level to ensure that local communities have a stronger voice in setting local policing priorities. A number of authorities are already piloting various models at this level. One model that seems promising is that of a local policing board. We will be exploring with the association of police authorities how such boards might operate and their relationship with crime and disorder reduction partnerships and local authority scrutiny committees. The establishment of such boards would not affect the current lines of managerial accountability within forces

Strategic Police Forces

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the council tax contributions to the proposed strategic police forces will be calculated.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 5 December 2005
	The Government will be considering grant arrangements for police authorities in the light of changes to police authority boundaries and in the way the new larger authorities might operate.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Welsh Assembly Government, Her Majesty's Treasury and police representative bodies have been invited to participate in working up the financial aspects of reorganisation, including the impact of restructuring on budgets, grant and council tax.

Substance Abuse Offences

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 26 October 2005, Official Report, column 405W, on substance abuse offences, if he will provide (a) tables two and three to which he refers and (b) the relevant figures for 2004 for tables one to four.

Hazel Blears: The tables are now provided with the 2004 information incorporated.
	
		Number of offenders found guilty for dangerous driving while under the influence of drink or drugs, by London borough, region and England, 19972003(54)
		
			 Inner London magistrates courts 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 City of London Police 
			 Guildhall Justice Rooms 411 281 225 156 147 208 207 148 
			  
			 Metropolitan Police 
			 Bow Street 327 194 111 135 150 209 237 211 
			 Camberwell Green/Tower Bridge 1,063 1,092 941 865 819 947 997 1,025 
			 Greenwich and Woolwich 898 741 631 751 835 826 868 798 
			 Highbury Corner 1,287 1,132 632 569 529 574 548 616 
			 Horseferry Road 549 439 379 334 348 361 299 310 
			 Marylebone 429 373 377 64 14 25 24 35 
			 South Western 683 507 422 317 349 421 405 337 
			 Thames 417 160 547 573 541 638 592 576 
			 West London 384 361 289 517 569 619 590 569 
			 Inner London Juvenile Courts 4
			  
			 Outer London boroughs 
			 Metropolitan Police 
			 Barking and Dagenham 187 236 243 252 253 358 368 302 
			 Barnet 457 398 380 359 353 343 329 361 
			 Bexley 273 234 241 217 290 325 249 261 
			 Brent 569 518 434 449 445 484 516 447 
			 Bromley 430 396 324 339 303 344 368 399 
			 Croydon 618 507 463 462 427 470 423 437 
			 Eating 654 485 335 538 496 723 544 581 
			 Enfield 410 403 406 341 362 339 293 329 
			 Haringey 395 382 307 292 367 419 397 475 
			 Harrow 287 228 236 238 226 227 245 299 
			 Havering 296 230 245 273 226 285 271 345 
			 Hillingdon 400 417 403 371 340 430 435 500 
			 Hounslow 483 451 375 349 273 345 283 352 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 264 297 266 293 261 263 233 299 
			 Merton 348 235 259 266 241 251 263 314 
			 Newham 556 426 371 356 347 438 476 514 
			 Redbridge 421 343 330 297 307 298 323 366 
			 Richmond upon Thames 271 224 235 283 204 312 283 270 
			 Sutton 257 232 225 254 242 246 208 255 
			 Waltham Forest 366 281 255 281 259 335 339 302 
			  
			 Total Metropolitan Police 13,983 11,922 10,662 10,635 10,376 11,855 11,406 11,885 
			  
			 Total Greater London 14,394 12,203 10,887 10,791 10,523 12,063 11,613 12,033 
			  
			 Regions 
			 North East 3,985 3,740 3,821 3,976 3,913 4,032 4,177 4,366 
			 North West 12,051 11,244 10,720 10,455 10,137 10,923 11,327 11,822 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 7,756 7,228 7,083 7,010 6,757 7,157 7,555 7,862 
			 East Midlands 6,660 6,061 6,047 5,571 5,141 5,005 6,138 6,621 
			 West Midlands 9,871 8,939 8,030 7,858 7,974 8,276 8,566 8,886 
			 East of England 8,043 7,646 7,343 6,729 7,201 7,800 8,178 8,605 
			 London(55) 15,205 12,937 11,525 10,959 10,521 12,066 11,613 12,040 
			 South East 12,661 12,462 12,594 12,094 12,262 13,726 13,040 13,122 
			 South West 7,563 7,321 7,250 6,819 6,948 7,206 7,697 7,662 
			 Wales 5,464 5,496 5,092 5,275 5,255 5,242 5,491 5,611 
			 England 83,795 77,578 74,413 71,471 70,854 76,191 78,291 80,986 
			 England and Wales 89,259 83,074 79,505 76,746 76,109 81,433 83,782 86,597 
		
	
	(54) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(55) Includes a small number of defendants convicted in courts outside London.
	Source:
	RDSOffice for Criminal Justice Reform
	
		Number of offenders found guilty for drunkenness by London borough, region and England 19972003(56)
		
			 Inner London magistrates courts 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 City of London Police 
			 Guildhall Justice Rooms 1  1 52 
			  
			 Metropolitan Police 
			 Bow Street 15 15 21 8 69 24 10 26 
			 Camberwell Green/Tower Bridge 14 14 1 5 3 3 1 2 
			 Greenwich and Woolwich 3 12 8 7 6 20 28 21 
			 Highbury Corner 14 18 25 2 1 4 10 7 
			 Horseferry Road 39 28 26 14 79 35 14 14 
			 Marylebone 9 7 12 11 
			 South Western 7 8 7 1  2 1 6 
			 Thames 4 1 7 1 1 7 2  
			 West London 187 120 66 66 29 45 38 24 
			 Inner London Juvenile Courts 
			  
			 Outer London boroughs 
			 Metropolitan Police 
			 Barking and Dagenham 3 2 2  
			 Barnet 1 5 1 4 9 12 4 6 
			 Bexley 2   2 2  5 2 
			 Brent 36 45 37 19 3 10 12 4 
			 Bromley 2 1 4  8 4 1 1 
			 Croydon 7 33 14 7 11 10 3 3 
			 Ealing 7 14 3 4 5 5 7 1 
			 Enfield 4  2 1 1 1 2  
			 Haringey  7 6 6 9 7 19 10 
			 Harrow 1 4 7 2 5 1 6 3 
			 Havering 5 10 1 1 
			 Hillingdon 7 19 1 8 7 8 2 2 
			 Hounslow 5 19 16 13 9 4 11 5 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 3 6 3 1 1 1   
			 Merton 4 3 17 2 4 2 12 4 
			 Newham 3 8 5 8 11 2 4 2 
			 Redbridge  1 1 1 1 1 1 2 
			 Richmond upon Thames 8 13 8 5 6 1 4 3 
			 Sutton 2  2 1 5 7 10 10 
			 Waltham Forest 3 2 4 1 1
			  
			 Total Metropolitan Police 387 403 304 190 294 228 210 160 
			  
			 Total Greater London 388 403 305 195 294 228 210 162 
			  
			 Regions 
			 North East 135 118 107 67 122 106 88 94 
			 North West 387 393 314 344 264 262 149 106 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 191 232 214 262 221 202 222 166 
			 East Midlands 108 135 116 119 89 107 78 64 
			 West Midlands 240 208 162 67 92 109 123 132 
			 East of England 496 583 507 399 332 264 293 242 
			 London(57) 393 405 310 197 296 228 210 162 
			 South East 938 1,106 866 684 629 541 486 418 
			 South West 445 530 538 440 379 382 350 290 
			 Wales 209 388 377 390 317 309 300 274 
			 England 3,333 3,710 3,134 2,579 2,424 2,201 1,999 1,674 
			 England and Wales 3,542 4,098 3,511 2,969 2,741 2,510 2,299 1,948 
		
	
	(56) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(57) Includes a small number of defendants convicted in courts outside London.
	Source:
	RDSOffice for Criminal Justice Reform
	
		Number of offenders found guilty of causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs, by London borough, region and England, 19972003(58)
		
			 Inner London magistrates courts 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 City of London Police 
			 Guildhall Justice Rooms 
			  
			 Metropolitan Police 
			 Bow Street 
			 Camberwell Green/Tower Bridge   1  
			 Greenwich and Woolwich   1   1   
			 Highbury Corner 2 1  11 
			 Horseferry Road1 
			 Marylebone 
			 South Western 
			 Thames1 
			 West London   1  
			 Inner London Juvenile Courts 
			  
			 Outer London boroughs 
			 Metropolitan Police 
			 Barking and Dagenham 
			 Barnet  2   
			 Bexley   1  
			 Brent 
			 Bromley1 
			 Croydon 1
			 Ealing1 
			 Enfield 
			 Haringey1 
			 Harrow  1   1
			 Havering  1  1  1  1 
			 Hillingdon1 
			 Hounslow  1   
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 
			 Merton 
			 Newham 1
			 Redbridge1 2
			 Richmond upon Thames 
			 Sutton 
			 Waltham Forest  1 1  
			  
			 Total Metropolitan Police 4 7 1 4 3 2 4 7 
			  
			 Total Greater London 4 7 1 4 3 2 4 7 
			  
			 Regions 
			 North East 5 2 2 4 1 2 2 2 
			 North West 5 13 6 7 4 10 5 6 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 5 3 5 8 4 6 5 7 
			 East Midlands 6 7 6 5 7 4 9 12 
			 West Midlands 9 7 6 4 7 5 6 6 
			 East of England London(59) 3 4 6 8 2 3 1 5 7 4 11 3 7 4 7 8 
			 South East 11 10 8 8 8 14 9 7 
			 South West 8 4 6 8 6 7 7 6 
			 Wales 6 3 2 3 3 4 6 1 
			 England 56 60 44 50 48 62 54 61 
			 England and Wales 62 63 46 53 51 66 60 62 
		
	
	(58) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(59) Includes a small number of defendants convicted in courts outside London.
	Source:
	RDSOffice for Criminal Justice Reform
	
		Number of offenders found guilty for drunkenness, with aggravation, by London borough, region and England, 19972003(60)
		
			 Inner London magistrates courts 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 City of London Police 
			 Guildhall Justice Rooms 13 21 29 25 28 40 49 45 
			  
			 Metropolitan Police 
			 Bow Street 98 118 127 99 238 628 573 160 
			 Camberwell Green/Tower Bridge 21 44 41 42 24 46 73 32 
			 Greenwich and Woolwich 42 36 44 33 37 125 86 37 
			 Highbury Corner 78 72 91 46 23 38 113 67 
			 Horseferry Road 85 119 119 100 144 265 255 176 
			 Marylebone 27 22 52 3 2 3 2 1 
			 South Western 28 23 28 22 22 24 30 13 
			 Thames 22 14 24 38 25 34 41 23 
			 West London 94 93 78 107 76 128 132 71 
			 Inner London Juvenile Courts  1  1 
			  
			 Outer London boroughs 
			 Metropolitan Police 
			 Barking and Dagenham 11 8 11 12 10 17 30 9 
			 Bamet 16 8 8 18 13 20 32 10 
			 Bexley 18 17 24 18 11 27 77 34 
			 Brent 52 80 34 35 18 23 35 22 
			 Bromley 22 10 12 40 65 79 79 21 
			 Croydon 32 38 23 44 92 79 34 30 
			 Ealing 35 41 44 28 25 71 35 39 
			 Enfield 7 14 5 7 18 6 9 9 
			 Haringey 11 25 11 13 10 19 22 14 
			 Harrow 14 13 11 9 15 20 15 13 
			 Havering 12 24 27 19 60 78 65 36 
			 Hillingdon 18 76 33 46 67 78 73 33 
			 Hounslow 41 54 60 52 32 42 30 29 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 92 51 32 12 27 22 30 18 
			 Merton 158 49 81 47 45 36 56 36 
			 Newham 10 32 41 21 20 25 25 20 
			 Redbridge 22 17 13 15 8 32 24 8 
			 Richmond upon Thames 12 70 65 33 41 35 26 15 
			 Sutton 63 43 30 60 58 58 80 25 
			 Waltham Forest 9 17 9 6 1 5 10 8 
			  
			 Total Metropolitan Police 1,150 1,229 1,178 1,026 1,227 2,063 2,092 1,009 
			  
			 Total Greater London 1,163 1,250 1,207 1,051 1,255 2,103 2,141 1,054 
			  
			 Regions 
			 North East 3,580 4,080 4,071 4,376 3,989 4,022 4,553 4,437 
			 North West 5,821 6,006 5,422 5,215 5,110 5,249 5,174 3,130 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 2,771 2,709 2,884 2,683 2,318 2,240 2,670 1,625 
			 East Midlands 1,122 1,279 1,179 1,050 1,077 1,141 1,233 960 
			 West Midlands 1,820 1,737 1,373 1,246 1,116 1,061 1,029 1,128 
			 East of England 1,274 1,302 1,447 1,448 1,477 1,539 1,434 1,138 
			 London(61) 1,224 1,310 1,271 1,066 1,260 2,103 2,141 1,055 
			 South East 3,116 3,564 3,468 3,304 3,253 3,369 3,661 2,791 
			 South West 1,746 1,877 1,649 1,690 1,868 2,017 1,998 1,286 
			 Wales 2,779 2,872 2,405 2,135 2,037 1,647 1,505 1,635 
			 England 22,474 23,864 22,764 22,078 21,468 22,741 23,893 17,550 
			 England and Wales 25,253 26,736 25,169 24,213 23,505 24,388 25,398 19,185 
		
	
	(60) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(61) Includes a small number of defendants convicted in courts outside London.
	Source:
	RDSOffice for Criminal Justice Reform

Tasers

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effects of taser use on individuals that have been fired at in England and Wales since 2003.

Hazel Blears: The Defence Scientific Advisory Council's sub-committee on the Medical Implications of Less Lethal Weapons (DOMILL) has produced three statements on the medical implications of the use of the Taser. Copies have been placed in the Library. DOMILL's view is that the risk of life-threatening or other serious injuries from Taser appears to be very low and certainly very much lower than that from conventional firearms.
	A Taser deployment form is completed on each occasion that Taser is used and passed to DOMILL. DOMILL has examined these forms and the available medical reports and is content that the medical issues attributable directly or indirectly to Taser use were not unexpected and are addressed by their statements.

Tasers

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will develop a consultation process involving a wide range of stakeholders to consider proposed changes governing the deployment of Tasers by the police.

Hazel Blears: No decisions have yet been taken on any possible changes governing the deployment of Tasers by the police service. The Association of Chief Police Officers and the Police Federation have suggested extending the use of the Taser, and discussions are due to take place shortly. We will of course consider consultation with any relevant stakeholders as appropriate.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Consultants

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the (a) title and (b) value of consultancy contracts commissioned (i) by and (ii) in respect of Tamworth borough council in each of the last five years, broken down by consultancy.

Phil Woolas: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Council Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether a permanent (a) shed, (b) kennel, (c) outside lavatory and (d) rabbit hutch may be classed as an outbuilding for the purpose of the assessment of (i) dwelling house code 14 (Outbuildings) and (ii) value significant codes during a council tax valuation by the Valuation Office Agency.

Phil Woolas: The structures referred to would not be reflected in the codes.

Departmental Mobile Phones

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many mobile phones are (a) rented and (b) owned by his Department; and at what total cost in 200405.

Jim Fitzpatrick: During the period 19 November 2004 to 17 November 2005 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister purchased 211 phones at a total cost of 17,231.20. ODPM does not rent mobile phones.

Departmental Staff (Chronic Back Pain)

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what initiatives are being taken in his Department to help civil servants with chronic back pain.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) supports staff with chronic back pain while they are at work, while they are absent because of their illness and during their return to work. The ODPM has a programme of work place assessments for all staff and an Occupational Health Adviser which offers support and advice. Additionally line managers and Human Resources offer support and advice to staff with chronic back pain.

Government Office for London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of the (a) housing action trust, (b) European Structural Fund Objective 3, (c) Connexions grant, (d) Neighbourhood Renewal, (e) Housing Investment Programme and (f) London Development Agency grant funding stream from the Government office for London was made available to each London borough in each year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The information requested has been made available in the Library of the House.

Local Government Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes have been made since May 1997 to (a) dwelling house codes and (b) value significant codes used by the Valuation Office Agency for council tax liability purposes.

Phil Woolas: Valuations for the purposes of council tax banding are based on 1991 estimated values. Dwelling house codes are used as guidance to help this process. Dwelling house codes have been used by the Valuation Office Agency to summarise property attributes since the 1970s. On initial computerisation in the 1980s the system provided for the input of three codes. Codes capable of capture electronically were expanded from three to 10 in April 2002 and from 10 to 17 in March 2003. Value significant codes (VSCs) are part of the 17 dwelling house codes. The number of alternative VSCs available for capture electronically was increased to its present level in January 2005.

Maladministration

David Laws: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many payments for maladministration have been made by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies, (c) its non-departmental public bodies and (d) other bodies for which his Department has responsibility in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) was established following the Machinery of Government changes on 29 May 2002. It is the policy of the ODPM, its agencies, non-departmental public bodies and, where appropriate, its sponsored organisations to make financial redress in accordance with the guidance set out in chapter 18.7 and annexes 18.1 and 18.2 of Government Accounting.
	The information requested for the period since the establishment of the ODPM is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Department (including GOs) 0 0 0 
			 Agencies 7 6 12 
			 NDPBs 1 0 0 
			 Bodies sponsored by Department 0 0 0

Non-Christian Religious Festivals

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps his Department took to celebrate and promote non-Christian religious festivals in 2005.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Monmouth (David T.C. Davies) on 28 November 2005, Official Report, columns 20102W.

Smoke Alarms

David Crausby: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps his Department is taking to support the provision of smoke alarms in the homes of elderly people.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The 25 million Home Fire Risk Check Initiative, launched in October 2004, will provide free smoke alarms and fire safety advice to 1.25 million vulnerable households in England by spring 2008. Older people have been identified as the most important target group in guidance and in the Fire and Rescue Service National Framework. The funding is sufficient to provide a free smoke alarm for every pensioner household which does not have one. Many fire and rescue services are also taking up the challenge to work proactively with older people groups through partnership with local authority services and the voluntary sector.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister hosted a national conference on the theme of working with older people for the fire and rescue service and partners on 22 November 2005.

Street Wardens

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many street wardens are employed in each London borough.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister through the Government office for London, is funding warden schemes across 13 London boroughs over the 200506 financial year. The total number of wardens funded across London through this programme is 136. Brent employs seven wardens and two supervisors through their allocation.
	Local boroughs also support wardens schemes through mainstream budgets and other Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's funded programmes. Based upon the information currently available, the table below provides the total number of wardens employed within each borough. This information is currently being updated as part of an ongoing national review:
	
		
			 Boroughs Number of wardens 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham (62) 
			 Barnet (62) 
			 Bexley 4 
			 Brent 29 
			 Bromley (62) 
			 Camden 20 
			 City of London (62) 
			 City of Westminster 53 
			 Croydon 40 
			 Ealing 16 
			 Enfield (62) 
			 Greenwich 10 
			 Hackney 33 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham (62) 
			 Haringey 32 
			 Harrow (62) 
			 Havering (62) 
			 Hillingdon (62) 
			 Hounslow (62) 
			 Islington (62) 
			 Kensington and Chelsea (62) 
			 Kingston upon Thames 4 
			 Lambeth 12 
			 Lewis ham 62 
			 Merton 11 
			 Newham 50 
			 Redbridge 5 
			 Richmond upon Thames (62) 
			 Southwark 107 
			 Sutton 11 
			 Tower Hamlets 14 
			 Waltham Forest 41 
			 Wandsworth 15 
			 Total 526 
		
	
	(62) No wardens employed

Urban Taskforce Reports

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps his Department is taking to implement the recommendations of Lord Rogers' Urban Task Force reports of 1998 and 2005.

Yvette Cooper: In 1998 Government asked Lord Rogers of Riverside to set up the Urban Task Force to examine causes of urban decline and recommend practical solutions to identified problems. The task force's report Towards an Urban Renaissance was published in June 1999. The Government endorsed the principles behind all of the 105 recommendations, which were fed in to the development of the Government's Urban White Paper. This White Paper, Our Towns and Cities: the futureDelivering an Urban Renaissance, was published in November 2000 and incorporated the majority of the task force's recommendations. An annex to the White Papers lists specific responses to each Urban Task Force's recommendation.
	Significant progress has been made in implementing all of the measures in the White Paper. An implementation plan reporting on progress made between 2000 and 2003 is available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website.
	These achievements have since been built on by the Government's Sustainable Communities Plan, launched in February 2003. This plan sets out a clear set of objectives and actions for the long term development of sustainable communities. It takes forward ideas developed in the Urban Task Force's report and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's subsequent White Paper, creating a robust framework and action plan for delivery.
	More recently, Lord Rogers reconvened the task force and prepared an independent follow-up report, Towards a Strong Urban Renaissance, published on 22 November 2005. As he acknowledges in his foreword to this report,
	for the first time in 50 years there has been a measurable change of culture in favour of towns and cities, reflecting a nationwide commitment to the Urban Renaissance.
	Lord Rogers highlighted how this Government's urban policies have resulted in English cities becoming the powerhouses of the UK economy and have become centres for cultural innovation that stand confidently on the international stage.
	Government welcome the contribution that Towards a Strong Urban Renaissance makes to the continuing and evolving debate on how best to sustain this success. We are currently considering the report and its 53 recommendations, and are exploring how these can best inform our existing and substantive agenda of work already under way to develop world-class, well-designed and sustainable towns and cities that satisfy the demands of residents, workers and visitors alike. The vitality of our towns and cities is an important priority for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, and the work under way includes the State of the Cities Report. This is a report to Government from a group of city experts led by Professor Michael Parkinson, due to be published in January 2006 alongside other research and analysis undertaken by the Department such as the findings of the first eight City Summits and research findings from the Framework for City Regions study.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the presence of an (a) orchard, (b) vegetable patch, (c) fish pond and (d) attractive flower arrangement influence the Valuation Office Agency's assessment of value significant codes GG, GN, NA, PS and PL when conducting a council tax valuation.

Phil Woolas: The valuation of a domestic property is based on the valuer's estimate of what the capital value of the property is.

Water Supplies (Northamptonshire)

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made as part of the growth area agenda of the need for new reservoir capacity to supply Northamptonshire with water to 2031.

Yvette Cooper: There is a statutory duty on water companies to provide sufficient water for domestic purposes and the Water Act 2003 made it mandatory for water companies to produce water resource plans for the next 25 years to meet water demand.
	Water companies submit their plans as part of the periodic review of prices regulated by Ofwat. In December 2004, the Director General of Water Services determined water and sewerage charges for 2005 to 2010. These allowed for substantial new investment to increase capacity for water supplies to meet predicted need and work to help assess likely need over the full 25 years of water resource plans. The Environment Agency has been engaged with all the local supply companies in producing their water resources plans. These were completed in April 2004, and are subject to regular review.
	Anglian Water Services have stated that proposed levels of development over this period will require advancing plans to import water into the Anglian region from the west of the UK by a major increase in the transfer of water from the River Trent and the construction of one or more raw water storage reservoirs.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

African Peace Facility

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the African Peace Facility will continue beyond 2007; and how it is proposed to be funded.

Ian Pearson: The African Peace Facility (APF) has been an effective mechanism for delivering peace support in Africa, and critical to providing support for the African Union mission in Sudan. EU member states agree that the APF should continue beyond 2007. EU member states are now working to ensure a long-term, sustainable and flexible funding arrangement for the APF. Discussions are ongoing on the options for funding the APF.

African Union

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals the Government are putting forward within the EU to support the African Union and Regional Economic Communities in strengthening their capacity to (a) prevent conflict and (b) respond to violent conflict.

Ian Pearson: As presidency, we are proposing an EU Strategy for Africa including proposals to increase the EU's commitment to help the African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) predict, prevent, mediate and manage conflict, which we hope partners will agree at the European Council later this month. We are seeking to safeguard a significant capacity building element for the AU and the RECs within the EU Africa Peace Facility, and to boost efforts under the European Security and Defence Policy, including support for the African Standby Force, the provision of technical advice and enhanced co-ordination of EU member states assistance to the AU and RECs.

African Union

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to promote non-conditional annual joint funding to the African Union's Peace Fund during the UK presidency of the EU.

Ian Pearson: As presidency of the European Union, we are proposing an EU Strategy for Africa including the important principle of providing flexible funding to support African Union (AU) peace support operations and build capacity within the organisation. We hope that partners will agree to the Strategy at the European Council later this month. One of our main priorities is to secure continuing substantial EU assistance to the AU, which is currently given through the Africa Peace Facility.
	In addition, the AU have proposed establishing a complementary peace fund to allow contributions from a wider donor pool. They have invited the UK and others to take part in consultations on the modalities of such a fund. We will be able to assess possible contributions following these discussions.

African Union

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken to assist the African Union to have greater control over the disbursal of the African peace facility's funds.

Ian Pearson: The EU's current contribution agreement with the African Union (AU) already provides for the swift transfer of funds and gives the AU significant responsibility in determining how peace facility money is utilised. The procedures for the African peace facility (APF) also require a request by the AU for APF support before any proposal for expenditure is made. By way of further improving AU control, the APF includes an allocation for capacity building assistance, which is being used to enhance the AU's management of peace support operations. EU member states are also working to ensure a long term funding arrangement for the APF, that safeguards AU control over the disbursal of funds.

Assets (Corruption)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since 1997 the United Kingdom has (a) deployed forfeiture-related mutual legal assistance experts to states whose assets have been secreted abroad to advise them on the form and substance of their legal assistance requests and (b) contributed to case-specific coordination task forces set up to work through responses to mutual legal assistance and forfeiture requests made by foreign states which are victim to large-scale corruption.

Ian Pearson: The Home Office is the UK's central authority for processing mutual legal assistance requests. The response to such requests can involve direct contact between asset recovery experts in the UK (from the Serious Fraud Office) and those overseas on an ad hoc basis. It would be inappropriate to reveal details of specific cases as this may prejudice the outcome of legal proceedings.
	The UK has used its G8 presidency to encourage more strategic contact between asset recovery experts in the G8 and Africa. The Home Office has organised an asset recovery seminar, to be held in Abuja on 14 and 15 December 2005, which will bring together experts from ten African countries to discuss with G8 experts options for improving co-operation in this field.
	The UK is also planning to pilot 'accelerated response teams' to assist the victim countries in making necessary mutual legal assistance requests and provide support, where required, on other matters connected to corruption investigations.

Commonwealth Summit

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the 2007 Commonwealth Summit will be held in Kampala if political unrest in Uganda continues.

Ian Pearson: The Commonwealth Secretariat will continue to monitor the situation in Uganda over the coming months. It will be for the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Don McKinnon, in consultation with member states, to make a decision on whether the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting should be held in Kampala.

Convergence Fund

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the new flexibilities on timing of expenditure and the required level of match funding for the Structural Funds set out in his EU budgetary proposals on Monday 5 December would apply to Convergence Fund regions in the EU-15 in the same way as they apply to the EU-10.

Douglas Alexander: Under the UK Presidency's proposals of 5 December, a number of changes were introduced to enhance the ability of the new member states to make more effective use of their allocations under the Structural and Cohesion Funds. Under these proposals, the changes would not apply to EU15 member states.

Departmental Costs

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the (a) salary bill was and (b) administrative costs were for his Department in (i) each (A) nation and (B) region of the UK and (ii) London in 200405.

Ian Pearson: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not identify its expenditure on salaries or administrative costs in the United Kingdom by nation or region.

Departmental Estate

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was paid by his Department in rent for properties in (a) total, (b) each (i) region and (ii) nation of the UK and (c) London in 200405.

Ian Pearson: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) paid a total of 1,117,396 in rent for properties in the UK in the financial year 200405. All of these properties are in England. 94,000 was paid in rent for Wiston House, Steyning, Sussex and 1,023,396 for properties in London.
	In addition, the FCO occupies part of a Home Office building in Croydon where the annual service charge in the financial year 200405 includes a rental element of 422,978, not included in the figure given above.

Departmental Policy

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the recently reported statements of Mockbul Ali, departmental Islamic issues adviser, on the Muslim Brotherhood and Jamaal-e-Islami as pragmatic reformist liberal movements reflect his Department's policy; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I understand my hon. Friend is referring to an article in the 5 December 2005 issue of the New Statesman that draws on leaked documents. My hon. Friend will be aware that the Government do not comment on such documents.

Departmental Staff

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State forForeign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  how many staff are employed by his Department in each (a) region and (b) nation of the UK; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of each civil service grade in his Department is located in each (a) region and (b) nation of the UK; what the averagesalary is for each grade; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what the value is of (a) pay supplements, (b) bonuses and (c) other incentive packages that are payable in his Department on the basis of geographic location; how many people are in receipt of each payment; and what the total cost to his Department of each payment was in 200405.

Ian Pearson: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) employs approximately 6,000 UK based staff. At any one time, approximately 2,000 staff work in the FCO's buildings in London and about 1,200 at Hanslope Park, near Milton Keynes. Until 31 March 2005 there were separate sets of pay scales for UK based staff working in London and overseas and for those in other parts of the UK. There were, however, no incentive payments as such. Since 1 April 2005 all staff have been on the same pay scale but there is a location allowance of 3,000 for staff working in London.
	The average salary for each grade in the FCO for 200405, the latest figures available, are in the following table.
	
		
		
			 Grade Average salary 
		
		
			 Al London 14,281 
			 A2 London 17,761 
			 B3 London 21,686 
			 C4 London 26,356 
			 C5 London 32,274 
			 D6 London 41,275 
			 D7 London 50,307 
			 Al National 12,388 
			 A2 National 14,751 
			 B3 National 18,629 
			 C4 National 24,659 
			 C5 National 31,712 
			 D6 National 38,857 
			 D7 National 44,955 
			 SMS1 63,062 
			 SMS2 81,694 
			 SMS3 101,631 
			 SMS4 134,732

Eritrea/Ethiopia

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Eritrean Government to reconsider their decision to expel UN peacekeepers; if he will initiate urgent peace talks between the Eritrean and Ethiopian Governments; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 6 December 2005
	We remain concerned about the continuing tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea over their disputed border. Most recently, my noble Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Africa (Lord Triesman of Tottenham) raised the border issue with the Ethiopian ambassador on 6 December, and with the Eritrean ambassador on 9 December. He will be visiting Addis Ababa on 17 December for further discussions with Prime Minister Meles on various issues including the border dispute. Lord Triesman also made clear, in a statement on 7 December, our condemnation of Eritrea's request to withdraw certain members of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE).
	In our frequent contacts, at ministerial and senior official level, with representatives of Ethiopia and Eritrea, we regularly underline that there should be no return to war; that the decision of the Boundary Commission is final and binding, and must be implemented; and that they should engage in dialogue on all issues that divide them. We have also called on both parties to respond promptly and positively to the demands contained in UN Security Council Resolution 1640, which the UK supports fully.

Francophone Africa

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on UK diplomatic representation in francophone Africa.

Ian Pearson: The UK is represented as follows in those African countries where French is an official language.
	We have resident embassies or high commissions in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Rwanda and Senegal. Cote d'lvoire is currently covered by our high commission in Ghana due to the security situation.
	We have honorary consuls in Chad, Congo, Djibouti, Gabon, Madagascar and Niger, a community liaison officer in Benin, and Liaison offices in Burundi and Mali. Our honorary consul slots in Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea are temporarily vacant. We have no resident representation in the Central African Republic, Comoros and Togo.

Haiti

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent elections in Haiti.

Douglas Alexander: The elections in Haiti have been postponed due to security fears and technical difficulties. The first round of presidential and legislative elections is now scheduled for 8 January 2006, with a second round planned for 15 February. The European Union has agreed to send an election observation mission.

Indonesia

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has had made of reports that Indonesian authorities have used British-made arms against civilians.

Ian Pearson: We have sought information from the Indonesian authorities concerning reports that Tactica water cannon vehicles have been used in Papua. We understand at this stage that the water cannon were used in Jayapura to break up a violent demonstration aimed at an office of the Indonesian Electoral Commission. Two local non-governmental organisations have indicated to British embassy Jakarta staff that they considered this a reasonable level of force for the police to use, and a more appropriate response to public disorder than some of the methods employed by the police in the past.
	We consider that the use by a Government within their own borders of proportionate force to maintain law and order, subject to appropriate controls, is legitimate and does not constitute internal repression or a human rights abuse.

Iraq

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Prime Minister's Evidence to the Liaison Committee on 22 November, what steps have been taken by the Government to find out how many Iraqi civilians have been killed as a result of action by coalition forces since the invasion in March 2003.

Kim Howells: As the Government have said previously, no definitive measure of civilian casualties exists. There are several estimates available, produced by non-governmental organisations, such as the Iraq Body Count report. However, we believe the Iraqi Government are best placed to monitor the number of civilian casualties and continue to do so through the Iraqi Ministry of Health. It is important to note that acts of terrorism are by far the largest cause of civilian deaths in Iraq.

Iraq

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made since June 2004 to the Iraqi Government on investigating allegations that detainees have been tortured by official agencies or agents of the Iraqi Government.

Kim Howells: When we have had reason to suspect that detainees have been ill-treated by the Iraqi authorities we have raised our concerns immediately with the Iraqi Government at senior levels. The Iraqis have told us they do not condone abuse and have taken action to investigate.
	Most recently my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, issued a statement on 15 November condemning what appears to have been illegal detention and abuse at a building used by the Ministry of Interior. He welcomed the immediate announcement by the Iraqi Prime Minister of an investigation into this incident and more widely to ensure that abuse was not occurring elsewhere.

Ministerial Travel

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since 7 July he has used the London underground in connection with his official duties.

Jack Straw: Once.

Nigeria

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in the Bayelsa state of Nigeria.

Ian Pearson: The British High Commission in Abuja is in close touch with the Nigerian Federal authorities, following the return of the State Governor to the state capital, Yenagoa, on 21 November, after skipping bail in the UK where he has been charged with money laundering offences. The local security situation remains tense. There have been pro and anti Governor protests but no serious disorder. The Nigerian police and army are strengthening their presence as a precaution. We have amended our travel advice to recommend against all but essential travel to Bayelsa state until tensions dissipate.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement.

Kim Howells: None of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's three advisory non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) has a statutory base.
	The Wilton Park Academic Council publishes minutes of its meetings on the Wilton Park Website at:
	http://www.wiltonpark.org/wpac/index.aspx. The Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the purchase of wine has a publication scheme under the Freedom of Information legislation, which acts as guidance for information that is made available. The Diplomatic Service Appeals Board does not publish its advice to Government.
	The Wilton Park Academic Council and the Diplomatic Service Appeals Board do not publish annual reports. The Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine does publish an annual report.
	None of the NDPBs lay an annual report before Parliament.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of its members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement.

Ian Pearson: None of our advisory non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) hold public meetings or conduct public consultation exercises.
	Neither the Wilton Park Academic Council nor the Diplomatic Service Advisory Board conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests. The Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the purchase of wine does not conduct formal consultations exercises with outside commercial interests but, as it exists to advise on the purchasing of wine, it has no option but to consult with commercial companies.
	We do not publish a register of hon. Members' interests or agendas for meetings.
	Whilst there is no statutory requirement for them to do so, Wilton Park Academic Council publishes minutes of meetings. These are available at:
	http://www.wiltonpark.org/wpac/index.aspx. The Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the purchase of wine publishes a summary of minutes of meetings on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office web site at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket%2FXcelerate%2FShowPagec=Pagecid=l007029390518action=searchsf=minireferrer=FCO+Mainstq=0pubId=1006886514545q=Government+Hospitality. The Diplomatic Service Appeals Board does not publish the minutes of meetings.

Public Relations

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the value was of (a) public opinion research and (b) public relations contracts awarded by his Department in (i) each (A) nation and (B) region of the UK and (ii) London in 200405.

Ian Pearson: In the financial year 200405, the value of UK public opinion research conducted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) including informal qualitative consultations as well as survey research, was 123,350 + VAT. The total mostly comprises studies covering the whole UK, centrally commissioned from London. Within the total, 22,850 was spent on England-only studies (5,713 in the north east, 5,713 in the north west and 11,424 in London).
	The total value of public relations contracts commissioned by the FCO during this period was 534,000 + VAT. These were centrally-commissioned contracts covering the whole UK. A regional breakdown is not therefore available.

Rates

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was paid by his Department in rates to each local authority in the UK in 200405; and how much was paid in (a) each region of the UK and (b) London in that year.

Ian Pearson: Rates were paid on Foreign and Commonwealth Office buildings to local authorities in the UK in 200405 as follows:
	
		
			
			 Local authority Site Amount paid 
		
		
			 City of Westminster Old Admiralty Building 718,980.14 
			 City of Westminster King Charles Street 2,120,400.00 
			 City of Westminster 1 Carlton Gardens (63)1,089.00 
			 City of Westminster 1 Carlton Gardens (64)446.40 
			 London borough of Lambeth 89 Albert Embankment 67,233.55 
			 Milton Keynes council Hanslope Park 567,720.00 
		
	
	(63) Non-domestic rates for apartment.
	(64) Council tax on house.

Somaliland

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with representatives of (a) European Union governments, (b) South Africa and (c) Somaliland on recognition for Somaliland.

Ian Pearson: We have had frequent discussions with representatives of Somaliland on the question of recognition, most recently when my noble Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Africa, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, met the Foreign Minister of Somaliland on 20 May. We have not had substantive discussions of this matter with European Union partners, South Africa or any other government.
	The international community does not recognise Somaliland as an independent state. We have urged the Somaliland authorities to agree a mutually acceptable solution on their future status with any eventual government in Somalia. We believe that African countries should take a lead in any eventual recognition process.

Torture (Third Party Countries)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with its counterpart in the US regarding the torture of detainees in third party countries.

Jack Straw: My Department discusses counter terrorism and human rights issues with its United States counterpart frequently.

Uganda

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise the matter of the conflict in northern Uganda at the UN Security Council during the British presidency.

Ian Pearson: The UK has supported previous efforts to raise northern Uganda in the United Nations (UN) Security Council. As presidency the UK has invited Jan Egeland, the UN Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Co-ordinator to provide a briefing on humanitarian issues in Africa on 19 December.
	A number of non governmental organisations have written to my right hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary, advocating a UN Security Council Resolution during the UK's presidency of the Security Council. We are currently considering their ideas and how we can most effectively continue to address the situation in northern Uganda.

Uganda

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the decision by the Government of Uganda to imprison an opposition politician on progress towards democracy, good governance and respect for human rights in Uganda.

Ian Pearson: My noble Friend, the Lord Triesman of Tottenham, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Africa, expressed our serious concerns regarding the arrest of Dr. Kiiza Besigye on charges including treason, to the Ugandan Foreign Minister Kutesa, on 17 November. The UK, on behalf of the EU, also issued a statement on 21 November. We are pressing for a fair and transparent civilian trial. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made this clear to President Museveni at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Valetta.
	The move to a pluralist democratic system in advance of the next elections in February or March 2006 is a crucial step in the political development of Uganda. We have consistently encouraged the Ugandan Government to ensure that all parties are able, and are seen to be able, to compete on a level playing field.

Uganda

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by his Department to help resolve the conflict in northern Uganda.

Ian Pearson: Resolving the long-running conflict in Northern Uganda and addressing its humanitarian impact are priorities for the UK. In our discussions with the Uganda Government, we emphasise the need to bring peace to northern Uganda, provide adequate protection for the people of the North and to continue to encourage those Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) members not indicted by the International Criminal Court to seek amnesty and re-integration into their communities. We are also encouraging the governments of the region to work together to ensure that those LRA members who have been indicted are brought to justice.
	The UK has provided support for a number of specific peace initiatives, including the recent mediation effort led by Betty Bigombe, a former Ugandan Minister. We are providing practical help to the Amnesty Commission, which is helping to re-integrate former combatants into the community. We have also helped establish a local radio station, MEGA FM, which, through its programming, helps to promote peace. To date we have provided over 2 million and will be doing more.

UN Peacebuilding Commission

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the policy of the Government to support the expansion of the mandate of the UN Peacebuilding Commission to allow for a conflict prevention role.

Ian Pearson: The Government support a role for the UN Peacebuilding Commission in preventing violent conflict. By tracking peacebuilding efforts and offering advice to UN member states, donors, including the International Finance Institutions, and the wider international community, the Commission should help to reduce the risk of post-conflict countries falling back into conflict. The Government also support the proposal that the Peacebuilding Commission should consider countries on the verge of lapsing into conflict at the request of the country concerned.

United Arab Emirates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of the United Arab Emirates regarding the fair and equal treatment of homosexuals.

Kim Howells: We have had no recent discussions regarding the fair and equal treatment of homosexuals with the United Arab Emirates Government.

Zimbabwe

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the South African Government in respect of (a) its policy towards, (b) financial links with and (c) trade links with Zimbabwe.

Ian Pearson: South Africa is in no doubt about the Government's views on Zimbabwe, including that all concerned states should be encouraging Zimbabwe to pursue policies which help rather than harm its economy. Ministers and officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regularly make these views clear to the South African Government, most recently when my right hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary and South African Foreign Minister Dlamini-Zuma co-chaired the EU/South Africa Co-operation Council in Brussels on 7 November.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Consultants

Martin Horwood: To ask the Solicitor-General what mechanisms are in place to assess the effectiveness of consultant-led projects in the Law Officers' Departments; what sanctions are available to penalise consultants who run unsuccessful projects; how many projects conducted by consultants were assessed as unsuccessful in each year since 2000; and what sanctions were imposed in each case.

Mike O'Brien: The Law Officers' Departments have either had no consultant-led projects or none has been assessed as unsuccessful.
	The Crown Prosecution Service has adopted the Office of Government Commerce's Gateway review process to provide assurance at critical stages of a programme's or project's lifecycle, whether led by departmental staff or consultants. Best practice project techniques and governance procedures are followed to ensure the consultant(s) meet their terms of reference and deliverables for the project and guidance has been issued to departmental managers on the monitoring and reviewing of consultants performance. Where appropriate, payments are linked to the achievement of milestones. Failure to deliver milestones could result in payment being withheld. No project has been assessed as unsuccessful in the time cited.
	HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate rarely uses external consultants for analysis, advice, the investigation of problems or assistance in developing new systems, structures or capabilities within HMCPSI. In the event of a consultant-led project which was completed unsatisfactorily, a reduction or cancellation of fees would be sought. No instance has occurred in the time cited.
	The Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Service was created on 18 April 2005 and has not run any projects assessed as unsuccessful. It has arrangements in place, which would evaluate progress during and after project completion.
	The Serious Fraud Office has had no consultant-led projects.
	During the time cited, the Treasury Solicitor's Office, including the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, has had no consultant-led projects assessed as unsuccessful. The officer commissioning the project has reviewed output. Consultant-led projects in TSol have been relatively small and subject to contractual obligations, with appropriate controls. These included defined deliverables and time scales, options for withholding payment until output is delivered to an acceptable standard or terminating contracts at given stages without penalty. There was also an agreed escalation process for dealing with any contractual issues.

Consultants

Martin Horwood: To ask the Solicitor-General what steps the Department takes to ensure that consultancies do not claim excessive expenses while working for his Department and its agencies.

Mike O'Brien: All the Law Officers' Departments scrutinise expenses claimed by the consultants they employ.
	Expenses by consultants working on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service must be approved in advance by the Project Manager. Expenses are reimbursed on the basis of the costs actually incurred and must be supported by original receipts. Costs must be within the ceilings determined by the Departments' travel and subsistence policy. CPS includes these requirements in its letters of appointment.
	HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate consultancies are agreed on a fee for the work or daily rate with necessary travelling expenses. HMCPSI's prior authority would be required for any further disbursements. Claims for travelling expenses or disbursements which were insufficiently justified would be queried before payment
	The Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Service employs consultants via the Office of Government Commerce's S-CAT service ensuring that procurement of consultancy services accord with the terms and conditions agreed by OGC, Expenses are included in monthly reports, scrutinised by RCPO staff.
	In the Serious Fraud Office, authorisation of consultancy fees and any associated expenses are subject to internal SFO governance and authorisation controls applicable to all expenditure, ensuring that invoices are for agreed rates, for services delivered correctly and to standards agreed in the contract. All projects are led by a Senior Responsible Officer and internal project boards regularly monitor performance against planned activity and budget.
	The Treasury Solicitor's Office, including the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, applies to appointing the services of consultants and management of their contracts, including charges and cost monitoring, the same government accounting principles on procurement as they do on the engagement of external service providers generally: to achieve value for money, with due regard to propriety and regularity.

Human Rights (Iraq)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Solicitor-General pursuant to his answer of 5 December 2005, Official Report, column 964W, on human rights (Iraq), whether Mr. Phil Shiner has provided evidence of potential criminal offences to the prosecuting authorities; and if he will place in the Library the correspondence between Mr. Phil Shiner and the Attorney-General's office.

Mike O'Brien: Mr. Phil Shiner has provided some information to the prosecuting authorities. Investigations are ongoing into these allegations. I will not place correspondence between Mr. Phil Shiner and my office in the Library because it would be inappropriate to do so while these issues are being considered.

Statutory Instruments

David Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General what training is given to (a) policy officials and (b) lawyers in the Law Officers' Department responsible for drafting statutory instruments; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Statutory Instruments are drafted by departmental lawyers based on instructions from policy divisions. Where SIs amend primary legislation, Parliamentary Counsel are consulted.
	As members of the Government Legal Service (GLS), departmental lawyers receive extensive training on the preparation and drafting of statutory instruments. This consists of a combination of lectures and practical exercises run by experienced practitioners in the GLS, coupled with training given by legal advisers who advise the Parliamentary Scrutiny Committees. In addition, senior managers in the GLS take a close interest in the quality of SIs and provide frequent feedback and on the job training to those with lead responsibility for drafting. This is an ongoing process and part of the continuing education of government legal advisers.